APC Convention: No Endorsement For Tinubu, Southern Presidency My Target — Akeredolu

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – With the All Progressives Congress (APC) set for its National Convention and presidential primaries just days away, Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, says speculations about his endorsement of a particular candidate are merely false and distraction engineered by political merchandisers.

Clearly distancing himself from reports linking him with endorsing the Party’s National Leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the APC ticket in the 2023 general election, Akeredolu said the focus is on achieving the Southern Presidency for equity and fairness.

According to Akeredolu, media reports insinuating his purported endorsement of a particular aspirant are meant to wrap him up with unnecessary controversy despite public knowledge that as Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) his position solidly backs power rotation and Presidency shift to the South come 2023.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Richard Olatunde, the governor reiterated the stand of the Southern Governors that equity and fairness demand the Presidency should come to the South in 2023, insisting that power must shift with the South producing the country’s next president.

“In clear terms, the widely circulated statement never emanated from Governor Akeredolu. It was, obviously, driven by overzealous partisan interests calculated to exploit the political capital of the Governor for personal gains”, the statement said

The Ondo Governor urged all APC members and the public to disregard any statement credited to him on his so-called choice of an aspirant for the 2023 election as it is at variance with the collective decision of the SGF under his leadership.

The statement by Olatunde reads: “Our attention has just been drawn to a statement widely circulated and credited to the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, purportedly endorsing a particular presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The statement, largely laced with partisan interest and fluid narrative was not authored by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN). The intention of the writer, though juvenile, was to drag the Governor into unnecessary declarations, despite public knowledge of his position as the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum.

“Nevertheless, Governor Akeredolu has continued to reiterate the stance of his brother Governors in the Southern Nigeria Governor’s Forum on the need for the south to produce the next President of the country in the spirit of equity and fairness.

“In clear terms, the widely circulated statement never emanated from Governor Akeredolu. It was, obviously, driven by overzealous partisan interests calculated to exploit the political capital of the Governor for personal gains”

To further drive home Governor Akeredolu’s unhappiness and disappointment with the rumours, the statement said; “We, however, urge members of the public, particularly, members of the APC and the party supporters to disregard the statement as it does not represent the collective decision of the Southern Governors’ Forum which Governor Akeredolu leads.

“Succinctly, Governor Akeredolu as a leader and stakeholder in the Southern Presidency agitation is committed to the interest of the Southern Nigeria geopolitical zone. He will not descend into an arena of partisanship to jeopardize the interest of the forum he leads.”