[Mhiz Rebecca]

The Ondo State governor-elect, on Wednesday at the State
House, suggested former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu is not
more than a state level leader of the All Progressives
Congress.
So, Mr. Akeredolu said, mentioning Mr. Tinubu in his victory
speech, after he specially acknowledged President
Muhammadu Buhari and party chairman John Odigie-Oyegun
could have necessitated inclusion of “36 or 37” leaders –
referring to the 36 States of the federation and the Federal
Capital Territory.
Mr. Akeredolu, accompanied by the deputy governor-elect,
Agboola Ajayi, addressed journalists after meeting with Mr.
Buhari, and explained why he didn’t mention Mr. Tinubu –
reputed for his pivotal role in the formation of APC and
emergence of Mr. Buhari – in his victory speech.
In his victory speech after he was declared winner of the
election on Sunday, Mr. Akeredolu “profusely” thanked Mr.
Buhari; Mr. Oyegun, the “indefatigable and principled
Chairman”; and “loyal” governors and ministers – subtly
hitting at South West APC leaders, including Governor Rauf
Aregbesola of Osun State and his Lagos counterpart, Akinwumi
Ambode, who had abandoned him during campaign, allegedly
supporting Olusola Oke of Alliance for Democracy instead.
Although Messrs. Tinubu and Ambode have extended
congratulations to Mr. Akeredolu, it is apparent, with his
subtle denigration on Wednesday, the governor-elect is still
angry he was not supported by the former Lagos Governor.
He said, “On the names that were mentioned in my speech
when expressing gratitude and that I didn’t specifically thank
Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I thanked the President and the leader of
our party profusely for the leadership which he showed
leading to this election.
“I also thanked our indefatigable chairman for standing by the
truth and for his position on this matter that led to this
election. I have no reason to do otherwise.
“Party structure to the best of my knowledge is very clear.
You have the leadership of the party and that is represented
by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
“After the election, a chief executive emerges, he becomes a
leader of the party, you don’t have to personalise and be
looking for leaders all over the place.
“If we have to do that, then I will have to mention 36 or 37
leaders. So I believe the leadership as represented by the
President covers all leaders and that tells me it would include
Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande,
Onu, and so many leaders.
“But President Buhari is the leader of the party. So, that is my
position there.”
He however denied rift with Mr. Tinubu.
“For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the
party and I don’t see any strain relationship between us. And
you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory
message after the election, so what else do you expect?
”I mean all of us see this as victory for the APC, not for
Akeredolu, not for us an individual but for the party as a
whole. I believe he is a member of the party. Mr. Femi
Adesina had issued a release but you journalists just want to
put words into our mouths,” said Mr. Akeredolu.
Mr. Akeredolu and his deputy were led to the President by
the Chairman of APC Campaign Council in Ondo State,
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State.
Mr. Tinubu had backed Olusegun Abraham to clinch APC
ticket eventually won by Mr. Akeredolu to contest, and win,
last Saturday’s governorship election.
But Mr. Akeredolu’s emergence in the primary saw aggrieved
losers like Messrs Abraham and Oke petition APC appeals
panel.
The panel invalidated Mr. Akeredolu’s victory but Mr.
Oyegun-led National Working Committee overruled the panel,
provoking a furious Mr. Tinubu to accuse his party of injustice
and demand the chairman’s resignation in a strongly worded
letter in which he also renounced the “honorific title” of
national leader.
Mr. Tinubu later in his congratulatory message to Mr.
Akeredolu called Mr. Buhari the “national leader of the party
whose stature and dignity helped guide APC to another
victory.”
Bola Ilori, an ex-aide to Mr. Aregbesola, staunchly pro-Tinubu,
headed Mr. Oke’s campaign, and many APC card carrying
members loyal to the former Lagos Governor, citing “injustice
in our party” openly mobilised support for the AD’s flag
bearer, fueling allegations Mr. Tinubu backed Mr. Oke who
came distant third in the elections.
But the Presidency, in a statement on Monday, said Mr.
Tinubu did not work against APC in Ondo, having promised
Mr. Buhari he would not be involved in anti-party politics.
The statement also denied any plot against Mr. Tinubu and
acknowledged him as “a priceless asset” to the APC.
Mr. Akeredolu reached the pinnacle of his career, becoming
President of the Nigerian Bar Association. But in politics, he
did not count much to anything when Mr. Tinubu backed him
when he first aimed at becoming Ondo Governor in 2012.
But then in the 2012 poll, he came third in that election,
coming behind Olusola Oke of PDP then, and Olusegun Mimiko
who used Labour Party to clinch a second term.