By Dayo Johnson

TOMORROW’S governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, taking place in Akure, the Ondo State capital is a litmus test for the party. The primaries will also put to the test the political sagacity of former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who has endorsed one of the aspirants, Dr Olusegun Abraham.

Ondo APC contenders

The endorsement has pitched Abraham against 23 other aspirants, who have formed an alliance to rubbish Tinubu at the primaries. Observers of political events view this as a gang-up against the national leader with a view to cut him down to size for backing Abraham.

The election will be heavily policed going by the tension in the party, which had necessitated the postponement of the exercise twice by the party’s national secretariat.

Endorsement gone awry

The other aspirants are displeased by Tinubu’s  position on the primaries after committing huge sums of money to the project with an assurance by the party leadership and Tinubu of a level playing field for all of them at the election. Their supporters are equally threatening fire and brimstone if the exercise is skewed in favour of any particular aspirant.

The question agitating the minds of party faithful is whether or not Tinubu’s preferred aspirant, Abraham, would win the primaries just like Rotimi Akeredolu did in 2012 to become the party’s standard bearer. But the stake is higher now as the aspirants are ready to look straight into the eyes of the generalisimo.

How far they can go in their gang-up against Abraham with the Jagaban Borgu behind him is still unknown. Some lieutenants to the aspirants, who spoke with Vanguard, confided that the outcome of the  primaries would be shocking. Others posit that the outcome will put a stop to “endorsement/imposition” by leaders across  political parties in the country.

Wooing delegates

Already, many of the aspirants especially the front runners have hidden their delegates ahead of tomorrow’s election to prevent them from being wooed by other aspirants. In a bid not to take chances,  the aspirants are spending lots of money to cater for the delegates who are given special treatment because of the stakes involved.

Vanguard gathered that the aspirants, with large war chest, are offering between N300,000 and N500,000 to each of the 3000 delegates. Reports have it that the delegates are smiling to the banks as they have become the beautiful brides of  desperate aspirants.

It was reliably gathered that Tinubu’s candidate, Abraham may have gotten support from delegates from about 13 of the  18 council areas of the state. This may have given him the confidence that he would coast home with 85 percent of votes in the election. However, another leading aspirant, Rotimi Akeredolu said he was sure of winning 65 percent of the total votes as against the 85 per cent Abraham boasted he would garner in the primaries.

Akeredolu, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, boasted: “I can assure you that my chance is very bright. I’m not only assuring you of that but take my word, you will come back to congratulate me after the primaries.” Interestingly, Akeredolu was backed by Tinubu in 2012, but it seems things have fallen apart between the duo.

Akeredolu added that “talking about percentage, I don’t live in fools’ paradise, somebody who has no delegate says he will have 85 percent, this is not possible. The so called endorsed aspirant is fooling himself. Quote me, he’s living in fools’ paradise but for me I am almost certain that I would get 65 percent which is enough for me by the grace of God.”

Presidency wades in

Worried by the fracas caused by the endorsement, the Presidency invited all the aspirants to Abuja where they were assured of a level playing field. At the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari said that he has no “anointed candidate” for the election. Whether the assurance given to them by the President through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal assuaged their feelings is another kettle of fish.

This is because many believed the deed had been done and that the declaration was a political statement. Vanguard gathered that five of the leading aspirants, Ajayi Boroffice, Rotimi Akeredolu, Sola Oke,Bode Ayorinde and Tayo Alasoadura, are the worst hit by the endorsement of Abraham going by their financial commitment to the campaigns.

Perhaps, sensing that the state chairman of the party, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, was involved in the scheme, the other aspirants descended on him, a move which culminated in his purported sack.

Kekemeke clears air

Speaking on the endorsement saga, the embattled state chairman absolved himself from the endorsement saga. He said: “The one who pays the piper dictates the tune. The situation is even worse in Ondo state where there is no other piper to rely upon for the funding of the forthcoming election except Asiwaju Tinubu. Our people made Asiwaju what he is because everyone runs to him for endorsements.

“Some of the aspirants even resort to the use of photoshop to be seen to have taken photograph with Tinubu. We made Tinubu realize how much power and influence he has. We cannot now turn around to accuse him of wielding that influence.”

Speaking on what  decision if he did not win, Akeredolu after the election said he gave assurance that whoever wins “will have my support. I am a member of the party and a loyal party person and I cannot go to any other party and I’m only in this race for service.”