APC youths, councillors in Ogun insist on Akinlade’s candidature

An Ogun State Youth Forum yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, joined the list of protesters asking the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) to recognise Kunle Akinlade instead of Dapo Abiodun as the party’s governorship candidate.

The angry youths protested at the premises of the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan.

The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Jide Ojuko, who later addressed the youths, urged them to resist intimidation and march on until Akinlade’s mandate is restored.

Also yesterday, scores of councillors elected on the platform of APC across the 20 local councils of Ogun State said they would not support any governorship candidate of the party except Akinlade.

The councillors made their position known at a special meeting held at the Obas Complex Conference Hall, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Ololade Kazeem, Jide Opafola and Tunde Makinde, who spoke on behalf of the councillors in the three senatorial districts, alleged that the mandate freely given by APC members in Ogun State to Akinlade was “stolen.”

According to them, the direct primary election, which produced Akinlade as the APC governorship candidate, was conducted throughout the wards in Ogun State and witnessed by security agents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They, however, dissociated themselves from supporting and endorsing Dapo Abiodun, saying that “ghost councillors” endorsed him.