The fallout between Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and the hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the choice of Dapo Abiodun as the party’s guber candidate in the state bared its fang on Monday, turning President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election rally into a reprisal ground of some sorts at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
You will recall that the APC had met Amosun’s plan to have his preferred candidate, Abiodun Akinlade as the party’s flagbearer with a brick wall and instead gave the ticket to Dapo Abiodun who emerged in a primary only supported by the former Governor Olusegun Osoba-backed faction of the party.
The political temperature in the state piqued as the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC recognized Abiodun as the Ogun APC candidate, leaving Akinlade with no other option than to defect to Allied Peoples Movement (APM) to realize his ambition with the staunch support coming from Amosun.
But hell let loose on Monday as the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, seemed so visibly upset that he flung his party’s flag to the ground during the presidential rally.
His probable anger was not far-fetched. The rally was threatening to descend into a free-for-all as members of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) took over the campaign rally.
Sen Ibikunle Amosun personally instructing and supervising the removal of @dabiodunMFR posters and billboards
Amosun where do you belong?#NoMoreDeceitInOgun pic.twitter.com/MiZ05V6qM7— FRIENDS OF DAPO ABIODUN AND NOIMOT SALAKO-OYEDELE (@DANSOAPC2019) February 11, 2019
Thanks to the security aides, President Buhari could have been hit by stones hurled at him when he attempted to endorse Dapo Abiodun as the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State.
Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, was also not spared as the crowd booed him and Abiodun during the presentation of the party’s flag to the governorship candidate.
On Monday, after Oshiomhole endorsed Abiodun’s candidature, the crowd went into a frenzy and hurled various objects at the stage.
During the fracas, as Oshiomhole walked towards Tinubu, probably as part of efforts to regain control, Tinubu, who seemed very angry, and did not speak at the event, was seen flinging the party’s flag (time 1:25 in the video) to the ground.
It was, however, not clear what he was aiming the flag at, as Oshiomhole simply walked past.
The rally ended abruptly as security operatives led the party leaders off the stage.
