Ondo 2012: ACN aspirants reject Akeredolu, alleges imposition

[MrVan]

By DAYO JOHNSON

THE centre is no longer holding in the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo state as twelve of the governorship aspirants unanimously rejected the choice of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu as the candidate of the party in the October 20 election.

At a meeting held in Akure, the aspirants, all from the northern part of the state, said that the imposition of Akeredolu is unacceptable to them.

An aspirant, who attended the meeting, said they all kicked against the choice of Akeredolu because none of the leaders from the state had an input into how he emerged as the party's candidate.

According to him the choice of Akeredolu ""failed all democratic norms and would not be accepted by the people of Ondo State.

The aspirants, in a letter to the national secretariat of the party, called on the national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, to set in motion the process of selecting a credible candidate that could win election for the  ACN in the state.

They said the candidature of Akeredolu failed "all democratic norms" as none of the party leaders in the state or the aspirants who had been promised of free choice of candidate has input on the emergence of the former NBA President".

Meanwhile, the Campaign Committee of Robert Ajayi Boroffice has refuted a newspaper report that said they had agreed on the candidature of Akeredolu.

Boroffice said: "I wish to state categorically that I DID NOT SAY SO and will not support his aspiration because the manner in which he emerged is short of being transparent contrary to assurance given to aspirants that the ACN candidate in Ondo State will emerge through consensus and in a transparent manner in line with the criteria set up by the party and recommendation of the Committee set up.

"I urge all my supporters and the good people of Ondo State to disregard the said news publication".

Vanguard Nigeria