The All Progressives Congress (APC) finds itself immersed in a fresh crisis, with leaders and chieftains sharply divided over the choice of anointed aspirants to represent the party in the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
News About Nigeria reports that the election is scheduled for November 16 but the primary election is much closer, scheduled for April 20.
To prevent a repeat of the controversy that surrounded the party’s primary in Edo State last month, the national leadership of the APC has formed a nine-man committee, comprising NWC members, tasked with overseeing the conduct of the Ondo primary election.
However, familiar rifts among the party’s leadership and certain state leaders over the anointing of aspirants are already surfacing, similar to what was witnessed in Edo.
A high-ranking party member, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Daily Sun, revealed that tension is brewing within the party regarding the Ondo election.
The source also added that despite indications of favouritism from the presidency towards the incumbent governor, murmurs within party circles suggest that not all NWC members agree with this arrangement.
It has been gathered that while some NWC members oppose the anointment of a specific candidate, they are concerned that selecting the incumbent governor could jeopardise the party’s chances in the election due to numerous petitions questioning his credentials.
“The reality on ground is that the presidency has anointed and directed the party’s leadership to deliver the incumbent governor, Aiyedatiwa, but some stakeholders and the NWC members have expressed concerns over the effect of fielding him as the party’s candidate due to the volume of petitions that have flooded the secretariat over the credentials he submitted,” the source said.
“Again, beyond the looming intra-party face-off, the party’s leadership should also be ready to manage the aggrieved aspirants, who may not fold their hands to accept the imposition of the governor on them. They will, certainly, fight back, and that will bring division in the rank of the party ahead of the election,” the source added.
