You have my blessing, Amosun tells Akinlade, other defectors

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun on Monday said his anointed candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, has his “full blessing” to pursue his governorship ambition in the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) which he joined last week having lost the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to an oil magnate, Dapo Abiodun.

He equally said he was in the know of the 26 aggrieved State House of Assembly aspirants’ defection to APM on Monday.

The aggrieved aspirants had through their spokesman, Lamidi Olatunji, at a press conference told journalists that they “have come to inevitable conclusion to actualise their ambitions in APM,” alleging that the mandate given to them during October 2 legislative primary was stolen.

The defectors, among who were two serving Commissioners, Dayo Adeneye (Information and Strategy) and Modupe Mujota (Education, Science and Technology), later joined Amosun at a stakeholders meeting held at the Presidential Lodge in Ibara Housing, Abeokuta.

Speaking at the meeting, Amosun said he met President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders 28 times in Abuja over the battle for the governorship ticket between Abiodun and Akinlade.

He vowed not to support any other governorship candidate other than Akinlade, but insisted that President Buhari remains his choice presidential candidate in the next election.

Amosun who pointed out that he caved in to pressure from Akinlade and others for them to join APM over “injustice meted out to them” in APC, said “God will punish me if I stop them (from defecting).”

In his blistering remarks, Amosun who spoke in Yoruba and English accused the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole of playing ‘God’ in the crisis which culminated into defection of some APC members.

“I will be running around to campaign for Mr President, but I will not stop Honourable Akinlade and all our people that want to run round with him. As a matter of fact, you have my blessing.

“I, Senator Ibikunle Amosun will not work for any other candidate that they rooting for to become governor. No way. They are free to do whatever they want to do, but I will not support them,” he said.