Presidency 2023: Fashola, Aregbesola, Akeredolu shun Tinubu, align with Osinbajo

Leaders and stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in southwest Nigeria have become divided over the presidential aspirants from the zone. Party sources disclosed that notable APC stakeholders in the southwest, who include the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, among others, are purportedly not with the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the tussle for the presidential ticket of the APC for the 2023 elections. The party source alleged that the identified ministers, governor, including Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, and some others have shunned Tinubu and are in alliance with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The source added that the development has deeply fostered cracks in the zone limiting Tinubu to the prospect of getting collective support from two states – Lagos and Osun; while Osinbajo has prospects of getting collective support from two states also – Ogun and Ondo, while Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State is expected to dominate in the state, while Oyo State is a battlefield for all the aspirants from the southwest. The aspirants, the party source added, however, have chances of getting marginal support from the dominant states of the opponents.

Meanwhile, other presidential aspirants, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for instance, may cut down the margin of support for the vice president in Ogun State; while the Minister of Interior could pull his supporters in Osun State to reduce the bloc support for Tinubu in the state.  Senator Bamidele also ahs chances of curtailing mass support for Fayemi in Ekiti State, adding to the support base of Tinubu.

However, our party source revealed that all the presidential aspirants would have to test their popularity in the north where notable presidential aspirants are not springing up.