In a heated exchange, governorship aspirants under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ondo State have clashed with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over the visit of President Bola Tinubu to the state.
Accusing the governor of hindering their participation in welcoming the president, the aspirants, including former finance commissioner Wale Akinterinwa, voiced their grievances.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Akinterinwa’s spokesperson, Segun Ajiboye, expressed concerns over alleged attempts by elements acting on behalf of Governor Aiyedatiwa to prevent non-supporters from receiving President Tinubu in Akure. The aspirants rejected what they deemed a “dictatorial order” from the governor.
Ajiboye stated, “This to us is the most undemocratic, disrespectful, unreasonable, and disdainful attempt by any Chief executive in the annals of democracy in Nigeria.” He further claimed that there were plans to unleash mayhem on their supporters.
The aspirants contested the directive that barred their leader and supporters from welcoming the president at the airport, asserting that it goes against the democratic tradition of showing support for the president’s visit. They emphasized their readiness to demonstrate solidarity for their leader at both Owo and Akure.
In response, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, clarified that the President’s visit is a state affair, not a political or campaign event. Adeniyan stated that only government officials and those accredited by the government would be allowed to receive the president at the airport, emphasizing that it is not a campaign crowd.
As tension escalates, the clash highlights the complex dynamics between political aspirants and the incumbent governor, setting the stage for a potential power struggle within the APC in Ondo State.
