An All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Sen. Tayo Alasoadura, has said the party may lose the forthcoming governorship election if its leadership does not resolve the crisis in the state chapter.
23 governorship aspirants in the party will participate in the party primary scheduled for Sept. 3, ahead of the Nov. 26 governorship election.
Alasoadura, representing Ondo Central in the Senate, on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of APC to urgently resolve the disaffection amongst party members in the state over allegation of imposition of one of the aspirants as party’s candidate.
Alasoadura, who was the state Commissioner for Finance between 2003 and 2009, said he was not impressed with the high level of disaffection among party members in the state.
He said, “I am just praying that God will use his key to open the gate of victory for APC in the Nov. 26 governorship election.
“With the level of discord in the party today, it will be very difficult for our party to win the governorship election because the discord is so deep rooted and unless we are careful it will affect the party’s chances.
“I am appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of APC, and the party’s leadership that is worried about what is happening in Ondo State, to urgently resolve the crisis in the state chapter over alleged imposition.
“Ondo State is too strategic in the South West to be lost by APC.
“Eventually, if Ondo State is lost, that means no progress has been made under the current regime to ensure that the South West states feel the impact of being part of the government at the centre.’’
Alasoadura urged the delegates to pick somebody that would be independent minded and who would have the interest of the state at heart.
“Let the delegates choose somebody who has the capacity to re-engineer the economy of the state and can win election for the party.”
Alasoadura, who decried “godfatherism and money politics’’, said that he was not bothered by imposition or endorsement of candidate by any leader of the party.
“The introduction of godfatherism and money politics do not give room for quality people to be at the helm of affairs.”