ONDO 2024: HOW APC GOVERNORS, AFENIFERE SECURED TINUBU’S ENDORSEMENT FOR AIYEDATIWA

• May pick Fasoranti’s son as running mate

Fresh facts have emerged on how some power brokers allegedly secured the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for the last Saturday All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election. 

Aiyedatiwa won the primary election, as declared by the Chairman of the Election Committee and Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, after securing 48,567 votes, to defeat the other 15 aspirants.

However, some aspirants are alleging that Ododo’s committee fabricated the results it announced, insisting that there was no election in any of the 203 wards.

Sources revealed that Aiyedatiwa secured the President’s endorsement after some members of the Governors Forum and the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, led by Pa. Reuben Fasoranti, intervened on his behalf.

APC GOVERNORS’ INTERVENTION

‘The News Eyes Daily’ gathered that some APC governors, held a series of meetings with Tinubu on the need for their colleague to be allowed to continue beyond 2025.

According to an insider in the Villa, “These governors, who are mostly first-timers, are concerned that if Aiyedatiwa is denied the party ticket, it will set a bad precedent for them when their turn comes to seek the party ticket.

“Asiwaju was undecided at one point because only a few political players in the southern senatorial district of Ondo State, where the majority of the aspirants hail from, are core progressives.” 

“Since 1999, Ondo South has been a PDP stronghold, while Ondo North is known as the Progressives’ “home base.” If you recall, Tinubu was cleared of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s choice in 2012, and when the 2016 election came around, he endorsed Dr Segun Abraham. Let me state that Asiwaju’s political allies are primarily from Ondo North. 

“One of the few politicians from Ondo South who has been with Tinubu for decades is the late Dr. Paul Akintelure. He was an aspirant, but he died before the APC primary election.

“These governors persuaded the President to support Aiyedatiwa for the party ticket, and I believe Tinubu wants to change people’s perceptions of him. You may recall the case of former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2019. As President, he does not want these governors to continue viewing him as a political dictator.”

AFENIFERE’S VISIT TO THE VILLA

“The News Eyes Daily” also reported that Aiyedatiwa’s fate was finally sealed when the Afenifere, led by Pa Fasoranti, paid Tinubu a visit in the Villa two days before the APC primary election. 

An unconfirmed report revealed that Aiyedatiwa may consider the son of Fasoranti,  Kehinde Fasoranti, a Phamasist as his running mate as a way of saying “thank you” to the Afenifere’s leader. 

In a news release by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said the visit was for national interest but it was learnt that these Yoruba elders allegedly sought the President’s support for Aiyedatiwa. 

A source said, “I can confidently state that Baba Fasoranti will never lobby for a political position for his son, but if Governor Aiyedatiwa intends to consider Baba’s son as a running mate, may be that is a political arraignment between the governor and Baba’s son.

“Baba is one of the few elders in Nigeria who maintains unblemished integrity. He has never been a political desperado. When he had the opportunity to govern the state, he gave the position to his political ally, the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati. 

“Tinubu has a lot of respect for Fasoranti.” You recall how he intervened when Pa Ayo Adebanjo decided to derail President Tinubu’s political ambitions by endorsing Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023 elections.

“A Yoruba adage says “one’s daughter would not possess a gorgeous waist while one adorns another person’s daughter with a waist bead. That was what Baba Fasoranti and other elders did for Tinubu, and the President will be eternally grateful.

“There is no request that these Afenifere members will make that the President will not approve. He holds high regard for them. They once intervened in the impeachment saga of Aiyedatiwa when Pa Fasoranti sent a letter to Tinubu, prompting the President to invite stakeholders from the Ondo State APC to a meeting in the Villa.

“If you noticed, the mood in Aiyedatiwa’s camp changed as soon as the Afeniferes arrived in the Villa last Wednesday. They were confident in their victory at that point. 

“It was after the meeting that a House of Representatives lawmaker from Ondo North who was supporting Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, told his followers that he received a phone call from a colleague who is also a member of Tinubu’s political family, and he directed him to back Aiyedatiwa. 

“Akinfolarin, in a video that has gone viral while holding a meeting with his followers, said he sat with Hon. James Falake, the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the President to discuss the political future of Ondo State.”

“It was after the deal was sealed for Aiyedatiwa that some leaders of the party came out to support him. Hon. Femi Adekanmbi was one of them. Some leaders who opposed Aiyedatiwa before the primary are aware that the governor is now the President’s choice”. 

AIYEDATIWA VISITS ONDO APC SECRETARIAT.

Meanwhile, Governor Aiyedatiwa paid a ‘thank-you’ visit to the state party secretariat in Akure on Tuesday following the APC primary election results. 

While receiving the governor, state chairman Engr. Ade Adetimehin stated that the party primary produced a credible candidate who can win the November 16 governorship election. 

Aiyedatiwa thanked the leadership of the party for providing an enabling environment for the conduct of a free and fair primary election that produced him as a candidate. 

The Governor said: “Primary has come and gone; all aspirants are winners. It was a family affair of a contest and we are all members of the same family. We now need to put our house in order for the battle ahead.”

The Governor also thanked all members of the various committees from the National Secretariat that conducted the election, as well as members of the party for their participation in the primary. 

Governor Aiyedatiwa later unveiled his campaign headquarters located along Oba Adesida road in Akure.