Members of the Association of Local Government Councillors in Ogun State have clamoured for the declaration of Hon. Adekunle Akinlade as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
Councillors from the 349 wards, who staged a peaceful protest at the premises of the Governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Monday, claimed that the politician won the October 2 direct primaries organised by the party.
Members who spoke during the protest, Babajide Opatola (Remo North East LCDA), Oyedele Olugboyega (Ifo) and Tunde Makinde (Iju Atan/Ilogbo LCDA), said it amounted to daylight robbery for their mandate to be given to Prince Dapo Abiodun.
They said being in the grassroots afforded them the opportunity of witnessing the exercise first hand, calling on the National Working Committee of the APC to ensure that justice is done.
Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Derin Adebiyi, appreciating them for the peaceful conduct of the protest and the support for the APC.
Adebiyi assured them that the mandate given to Akinlade is intact, saying there was no other primaries other than the one held on October 2.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, while also addressing the protesters, described them as the true representatives of their wards and those who should know what transpired in their areas during the primaries.
The protest is coming after the failed moves of the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to have Akinlade declared as governor.
Protests by the governor to President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa had yielded no positive response, with the last being on Friday.
While Amosun is backing Akinlade, the NWC of the party, headed by the National Chairman, has declared Abiodun as the winner of the state’s primaries, with his name submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
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