Sunday, 30 September 2012

CPC National leaders divided over choice of Ondo governorship candidates, Buhari shuns rally in Akure

There were indications that the national Leadership of the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] is now divided over the choice of candidate to endorse in the forthcoming October 20, governorship election in Ondo State.
Although, CPC has Soji Ehinlanwo as the party flagbearer for the election, it was learnt that the party National leaders doubt the popularity of its candidate of winning the poll.
DailyPost gathered authoritatively that CPC is planning on how to win the 2015 Presidential election and, to achieve its political aim, has decided to work for the success of one of the two most popular candidates.
“The CPC is doing this in order to score more votes from the electorate during the 2015 general election, particularly from the South West States where it lost woefully at the last 2011 Presidential election”, a source said.
It was disclosed that the party chieftains had been at loggerheads on whom to endorse between the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN]’s flagbearer, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu [SAN] and the ruling Labour Party candidate, Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
It was gathered that some leaders of the party have decided to pitch their tents with the ACN and work for the success of Akeredolu since the party was already controlling all the South West States apart from Ondo State, while others believed that Mimiko has the bright chance of returning to power due to his achievements.
As part of plans to cause crisis in the party, It would be recalled that the state and the 18 local government executives, rejected the candidature of Ehinlanwo, who is a consultant of European Commission (EU)
Already, Ehinlanwo and his running mate’s name, Mrs Oluyemi Damilola have been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC].
In order to save his political future, the CPC governorship candidate rushed to the residence of the party’s founder, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna State for endorsement. As part of his commitment to support the party candidate in the coming poll, Buhari promised to storm the state yesterday and canvass for the party’s support for Ehinlanwo. But, the Retired General and the national leaders of the party all failed to show up at the rally later held at Democracy Park in Akure.
It was learnt that Buhari could not make it to the rally because his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare had decided not to pay for his flight ticket to Akure. Bakare was said to have been the one financing the Buhari’s flight tickets since the commencement of the 2011 general elections campaign because he is in support of Governor Mimiko’s candidature.
Sources from the CPC camp revealed that three days to the planned mega rally, the national leadership of party directed the CPC chieftains in the state to cancel the rally and work for one of the two most popular governorship candidates. One of the sources disclosed that the former Minister of the Federal Territory Capital [FCT], Nasir El-Rufai urged the party members in the state to work for the success of ACN governorship candidate, stressing that CPC is not on ground in Ondo State.
Another source explained that “The former Vice Presidential candidate of CPC, Tunde Bakare directed us to back the incumbent Governor, Mimiko who is also the candidate of Labour Party because he believed Mimiko has transformed the state and he should be allowed to return back to office for another four years.
“For this reason, Bakare decided not to pay for the flight ticket of Buhari to Akure for the rally. Bakare has been the one responsible for all the tickets money of the former Military Head of State since the beginning of the 2011 general elections campaign till date”..
When contacted, the Director General, Soji Ehinlanwo Campaign Organization (SECO), Mr. Yomi Adetimehin said Buhari could not make it to the rally because there was another official assignment the retired general must attend in Abuja.
Adetimehin who denied any division among the party leaders, said the CPC Chieftains have all endorsed the candidature of Ehinlanwo

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