EXCLUSIVE: Choice Of Akeredolu’s Successor Triggers Tension, Possible Implosion In Ondo APC 

The journey to produce the next occupier of Alagbaka government house after the tenure of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has started on a rough, bumpy and undulating terrain within the ruling All Progressive Congress.

Akeredolu, who will be completing his two terms in February 2025 is expected to produce a candidate from the ruling party that will succeed him through a staggered governorship election scheduled to take place in October 2024.

Presently, the All Progressive Congress in Ondo State is considered to be a fallow ground available for cultivation by politicians within the party who are aspiring to take over from the governor.

Governor Akeredolu according to sources within the party is sandwiched between two choice candidates; the choice which may either make or mar the party in the next few months.

RovingNaija correspondent exclusively confirmed that the state commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa is being tipped by some party bigwigs and the wife of the governor to throw his hat in the ring and vie for the party ticket.

Akinterinwa, a seasoned financial expert, administrator and consumate politician has in the last six years expressed unreserved loyalty to his boss in the service of Ondo State. He is one man in the cabinet of Akeredolu who has distinguished himself as a reliable tool in the hands of the governor and has over the years, proved his availability for a bigger pie if the opportunity knocks on his door.

Following the controversies that led to his resignation as commissioner for Finance in the early days of former governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration, Akinterinwa took a break from active Politics in the state to focus on his private business.

He later returned to the state in 2011 to officially defect to the then Action Congress of Nigeria. He was among the gladiators that aspired for the party ticket to run for the state governorship election in 2012.

He later dropped his ambition to support Akeredolu who was believed to be more popular and had the backing of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos. Aketi, as governor Akeredolu is fondly called, won the party’s primary and contested against Mimiko, Candidate of the Labour Party who was running for his second term, and Chief Olusola Oke of the People’s Democratic Party. Mimiko eventually won the election and renewed his mandate for a second term.

In 2016, Akinterinwa stood behind Akeredolu to win the APC primary and later won the governorship Election that year. The governor was later reelected for his second term in 2020 while Akinterinwa retained his office as Finance Commissioner.

Having stood by Akeredolu through thick and thin in his political sojourn, some of the party chieftains and the state first family are lobbying the governor to consider him as his Successor to compensate for his loyalty.

In other words, “Aketi” is expected to endorse Akinterinwa as his anointed candidate for the party primary next year and find a way of getting other aspirants and party members to support his choice.

However, there is a serious political battle the governor will have to fight before he gets to that stage. He will need to prevail on Chief Olusola Oke to either shelve his governorship ambition for that purpose or be ready to face his wrath and possible implosion of the party in Ondo State.

Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and top APC Chieftain has been in the contest for the state plum job since 2012. After losing to Mimiko as a runner up in the keenly contested election, Olusola Oke joined the then opposition party, APC to vie for the party ticket in 2016.

His decision to leave PDP according to reports was hinged on Mimiko’s determination to impose his preferred choice, Eyitayo Jegede on the People’s Democratic Party, after joining the party towards the end of his tenure.

Jegede was the commissioner for Justice and State Attorney General who served under Mimiko for about seven years before resigning to vie for PDP Governorship ticket under Mimiko’s guardiance.

In 2016, Olusola Oke, former PDP National legal adviser contested the APC primary against Akeredolu and other 16 aspirants. The governor however won the ticket in what is regarded as one of the most controversial primary elections to be conducted in the history of the party.

In 2019 when “Aketi” was to re-contest the party primary and renew his mandate, Oke was among the aspirants who moved against him and nearly ruined his second term ambition. Akeredolu was alleged to have been involved in anti-party activities during the previous National and state House of Assembly elections conducted in the state.

He was accused of sponsoring Barrister Tunji Abayomi, Chairman, Governing Council of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko under the Action Alliance (AA).

Abayomi was reportedly sponsored by the governor to contest the Senatorial election and represent Ondo North against the incumbent APC Senator, Ajayi Borofice in the state.

The governor was also believed to have encouraged the state party chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin to support his anointed candidate, Sunday Akinwalire to contest the House of Representatives election under the same AA party against the candidate of APC, late White Baderinwa who was the incumbent Rep Memeber representing Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency.

These and many more allegations of anti party activities were raised against Akeredolu by Olusola Oke and his political travelers in the state. Oke and other aspirants asked the APC screening committee to disqualify the governor from contesting the party primary on the basis of the allegations.

While Governor Akeredolu threatened to leave the party if he loses the ticket, Olusola Oke insisted the governor must be taught a bitter lesson for violating the party constitution.

In the heat of the controversy, the two opposing sides were invited to Abuja where an amicable resolution was reached.

According to sources within the party who spoke to RovingNaija, it was  revealed that the leadership of the party at the National level tried everything to pacify Olusola Oke with either a Ministerial appointment or Senatorial ticket to contest the 2023 election but he refused, insisting on the governorship ticket.

The sources disclosed that governor Akeredolu was later made to strike a deal with Oke that after his second term, he (Akeredolu) would support him (Oke) to win the party primary and the governorship.

The agreement led to the full support Olusola Oke gave to Akeredolu which eventually resulted to his victory over his biggest challenger, Eyitayo Jegede from PDP.

The latest development however appears to be threatening the agreement made between Aketi and Oke which initially paved the way for the former to secure his second term mandate in 2019.

The governor is currently boxed in-between Wale Akinterinwa and Olusola Oke who are both from the same geopolitical zone in the state. It is either he (Akeredolu) honours his agreement with Olusola Oke and let him fly the party’s flag or damn the consequences and do the biddings of his family members by pitching his tent with his commissioner.

A close ally of Olusola Oke confirmed to RovingNaija correspondent that if Aketi eventually chooses his Finance Commissioner, Oke will have no choice than to leave the party.

“It will be quite unfortunate if that happens because Olusola Oke played a major role in Aketi’s emergence for second term. He had to sacrifice his political ambition to allow peace reign in the party despite advice and suggestions by colleagues and associates telling him to leave in 2019 after he was robbed of the party ticket.

“With the structure he has built over the years and his reputation across the state, Oke’s exit from APC will spell the end of the party in Ondo State.” The source said.

While the governor has maintained silence on his choice of successor, sources within his government confirmed that the matter is a serious internal battle that is generating tension within the party and if not managed properly, APC may implode in Ondo.

“The truth is that the governor is being encouraged by his wife, Betty, his Son, Babajide and some of the top chieftains of the party to settle for Akinterinwa so as to compensate him for his loyalty.

“If Akinterinwa wins the ticket and becomes governor, it still doesn’t alter the zoning arrangement being followed in the state because he is from the zone where the next governor will come from.” A source within the government revealed.

As countdown to 2024 election begins in Ondo State, a question mark is hanging on the choice of Akeredolu’s successor within the APC. The governor’s decision in picking his preferred candidate will either strengthen the party or spell an impending doom for APC in the State ahead of the election.