Group raises the alarm over compromise of Ondo guber ticket

• Blames Boroffice for Unity Forum’s strife
• Akeredolu, Senate Deputy Majority Leader describe allegations as ‘laughable’
• Another group declares support for Kekemeke

Ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State, a pressure group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Unity Mandate Agenda, has raised the alarm over the compromise reached by the party’s national leadership.

The group also accused the Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, of sabotaging the Unity Forum, a group opposed to the re-election bid of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

In a statement made available to journalists in Akure yesterday, the National Co-ordinator of the group, Babatope Abisola, alleged that Boroffice was aspiring to become vice president in 2023.

“We received with a heavy heart the purported endorsement of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu by our most respected National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for an easy ride to another term in office.

“While we do not want to believe the contents of the widely publicised story truly represents the mindset of the national chairman, we are not oblivious of the great adverse impact such has had on the resolve of the Unity Forum to have a change within the APC for the leadership of the state,” the group said.

Abisola added that there were insinuations that the National Chairman reportedly abandoned the struggle to stop Akeredolu’s second term bid due to “heavy financial inducements by the desperate governor.”

Meanwhile, while the Media Aide to Senator Boroffice, Mr. Kayode Fakuyi, in a swift reaction said the allegations were laughable, urging the people not to take the group serious, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ojo Oyewamide, said: “It’s not in our desire to engage people who throw stones at their leaders by raising spurious allegations. It’s most laughable that they could accuse the governor of inducing the NWC members financially.

“That is the height of desperation and insolence by this group and their sponsors.”In another development, a socio-political group within the ruling APC in Ondo State, Liberal Movement, has distanced itself from the second term ambition of Akeredolu. Chairman of the group, Mr. Demola Ijabiyi, said the group had chosen to support Isaac Kekemeke.

According to him, the group’s decision to ditch Akeredolu for Kekemeke was based on the human capital development programmes highlighted in the manifesto of the governorship aspirant.