The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been grappling with internal battles since it’s governorship primaries, a crisis that is threating the party’s chances in the  forthcoming governorship poll in the state, Ledership report.

Much like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), all has not be well within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state.

Several efforts by some leaders of the party to resolve the crisis raised by September 3 primary election of the party has not yielded the needed unity going into the November 26 governorship polls.

The ripples created by Rotimi Akeredolu’s emergence is yet to settle even as the party had flagged off its gubernatorial campaign.

Nevertheless, he was last Thursday listed as the party’s candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The internal wrangling was sparked by contentions over the delegate lists used during the primary election, which some of the aspirants claimed was padded by the “powers that be” from the national headquarters of the party.

Since the announcement of Akeredolu, as the winners of the primaries, APC has not been having a smooth sail at the state due to a battle for supremacy between the major contenders in the primaries.

LEADERSHIP investigation revealed that some supporters of the aspirants in the primary election are still at the loggerheads with each other, causing serious concerns for the Akeredolu for governor project. What’s worse, spate of accusations and counter accusations have continued to increase.

The development had made larger chunk of the party members to dumped APC for the Alliance for Democracy, (AD).

Majority of those who defected to  AD were strong members of the party before they were disenchanted as a result of the primaries.

Some of the leadership of the party in the state who are expected to drive the campaign have deserted the train, while others have become passive.

Recently,  the runner up in the said primary election , Dr. Segun Abraham, declared himself as the authentic candidate of the party in November 26, governorship election in the state.

Abraham maintained that he will not dump the party but stay in the party to reclaim his mandate which had been allegedly given to Akeredolu.

His struggle to reclaimed his mandate according to him, made him to approach a Federal High Court, Abuja to seek an interim order of injunction restraining the party from parading Akeredolu as the Governorship Candidate of the party pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.

His application was supported by an 86 paragraph affidavit and a 10 paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by the plaintiff himself, which highlighted the issues with the delegates’ list used, the accreditation process and undue inducement of delegates.

Abraham also seeks an order setting aside the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election of the 1st defendant held on the 3rd of September, 2016 for non-compliance with provisions of the APC Elections Guidelines 2014 as Amended for Primary Elections, and Electoral Act 2010 as Amended, APC Constitution 2014 as Amended.

Also, at a solidarity rally held in Akure, the state capital and in Akoko, Abraham stated that seeking redress in court was an option that could be explored in the pursuit of justice.

He stated that the step was timely, considering the level of expectation for justice among the party faithful and the members of the public in Ondo, adding that it does not in any way tamper or obstruct any ongoing efforts and consultations being made within the party’s hierarchy to finding the best way to correct the flaw of the September 3 primary that produced Akeredolu.

His words : “I am not unaware of the yearning of the party faithful and the members of the public in Ondo for justice to be done regarding the irregularities of the September 3rd, 2016 primary election of our party, which ended up robbing most of them their rightful mandate. It is to this end that we explore the sanity of our Courts to seek redress for justice’s sake, while also, the efforts and consultations by our party leaders to right the wrongs, remain ongoing, pari passu”.

Evidently, for analysts, Olusola Oke’s camp who defected to the AD is looking to maximize on the APC crisis. He alongside some notable members of the party have already defected. It was also gathered that more APC might be on their way to the party in the state.

Out of the two senators of the party in the state, one is active while another one is passive. Both National Assembly and State House of Assembly members of the party are not visible in any of the party’s ongoing campaigns.

LEADERSHIP investigation also revealed that no new people has seeing joining the party, rather people has been moving massively from the APC to AD across the state.

Although, supporters of Senator Robert  Ajayi Boroffice had recently pledged their loyalty to the campaign of the party’s candidate Akeredolu, it is not sure if their movement received the blessing of their principal.

Addressing journalists in Akure after a three hours meeting of the supporters in Akure, the state capital, their Chairman, Mr. Diran Iyantan noted that Boroffice was aware of their move and resolutions .

While Iyantan said the Senator gave his consent to the development, LEADERSHIP learnt that Boroffice was yet to make up his mind whether to support Akeredolu or not.

But Iyantan insisted that the group which comprised many bigwigs of the party from the 18 local government area of the state, would work very hard to ensure that the APC wins the November 26, governorship election in the state.

He, however appealed to the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to mobilize support from all the states of the South-West for Akeredolu so as to “rescue Ondo State from political hawks, electoral merchants and economic scavengers masquerading as patriots and spuming empty populist agenda.”

He said, “Now that the primary have been conducted, a winner has emerged and our party already has a candidate in the person of Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, (SAN), our principal, Senator Boroffice in consultation with other members of BCG has officially dissolved the group.

“It is imperative to note that, this is different from dissolving the Boroffice political family. The BCG was a vehicle to carry us to a desired destination. Whether we achieved our aim of the journey or not is left for history and posterity. All we are sure of is that the BCG has served its purpose and no longer relevant in the scheme of things. “

While expressing assurance that their principal, Boroffice, will not leave the party, Iyantan  said, he (Boroffice) would remained in the party and would support the party’s candidate .

He said both Akeredolu and the senator had held a reconciliation meeting, and agreed to shift ground and work together in the forthcoming governorship poll.

However, Akeredolu maintained that the dust raised by the primaries had been settled and that the party will march to the election as a united party.

Emerging from over a two hours closed door meeting with the chairman of the APC in the state, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke and the 18 local government chairmen in the later’s residence in Akure, Akeredolu said the crisis rocking the party is a family affair.

According to him, “This is family affairs and we have come to discuss about the forthcoming election. It is not late at all . Immediately after the election, I was in Abuja sorting many things out .

“I don’t know whether he had any ill feelings about me but I never had anyone against him and I never believe that he has. You people call it ill feeling and I don’t believe there is ill feelings.

“The point is that when you have primaries in any party, it must raise a dust . I have say to you people over and over that, there must be different camps and after the primaries, the dust must settle and all of us must come to work together as a party and that is what we are doing now .

“We have being to Abuja. There had been appeal and that is why you said why didn’t you come all this while , we are in Abuja, we had an appeal and we have to defend it until after the name was forwarded to INEC and accepted and that is when we become the candidate and now come back and meet with other members of the party to move the party forward .

He added that, “ For me we can be in different camp and the dust is settled and we are marching ahead now for election and you can be sure that APC will march towards this election as a united party.

Speaking on whether he has reached out to other aggrieved aspirants, Akeredolu said, “I don’t know which aspirants are aggrieved. I only know about one person who claim he has left the party.

“You’ve heard several explanation about the election and you know better that the election was free and fair. So, if anybody believe that it was characterised with  irregularity, he his free to say whatever he want to say.

“But one thing is certain and APC has taking a decision on who is their candidate and all of us here, the party chairman and everyone of us here have decided to move forward and plan for our election so that the only viable alternative which is APC produces the next governor and we are moving “.

Kekemeke on his part said the party will now forge ahead and win the forthcoming governorship election with unity.

Kekemeke said, “Am a man of authority under authority, so he remains the flag barrier of our party and that is recognise by me. This is politics and in politics what is permanent is the interest and the interest in this regards is the APC. Friends today, adversary tomorrow . You can be in the same camp today and be in different camp tomorrow but APC remains APC.

“We are forging ahead and like I said in our meetings two days ago, we remain  members and officers of the party, and we remain committed to the victory of the party at all elections including the governorship election. “