Ahead of the 2024 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, a group under the auspices of the Alliance for Credible Poll, or ACP, has said that the minister of interior cannot lead the president’s search team to pick a suitable gubernatorial candidate for some stated reasons.
According to the group, a report at the weekend stated that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has been assigned as the leader of the President’s team for the selection of the governorship candidate to represent APC in Ondo State.
The team is said to be looking for a candidate who will be loyal and prepared to deliver the state to the president in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by the chairman of the group, Chief Olugbenga Adesina, in Abuja on Monday, Tunji-Ojo was described as unqualified and an interested party that is directly or personally concerned with a situation and is likely to be affected by its results.
According to the statement by the group, the minister was not qualified to select the candidate because he allegedly had a candidate he was supporting for the race.
” We won’t like to see Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo lead the President’s team for the selection of a formidable candidate, as he is the one promoting the aspiration of a particular candidate in the state.”
“He is the one sponsoring the ambition of the said candidate, and this should not be allowed, as he who comes to equity must come with a clean hand. The fact that he is sponsoring a candidate has automatically disqualified him from leading a search party for a governor candidate in the state.”
Adesina added that his involvement in selecting a candidate for the party in the state would be vehemently rejected.
“It is on record that Nigerians are angry with President Tinubu because the palliatives he approved failed to yield the desired result. They live in pain because money meant to provide succour was diverted by a microscopic few who are privileged in the country.”
“The resources meant for vulnerable Nigerians were maliciously diverted into private hands.”.
The group stated that BTO’s incredible performance was the reason why they softened their stance on the issue.
“Even his invitation to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was swept under the rug. To date, Nigerians do not know the outcome of the CCB findings.”
The group urged President Bola Tinubu to assign the task to independent minds who will work with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in choosing a formidable and strong candidate with grassroots appeal as the party’s flag bearers.
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