Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

A group, under the auspice of Political Parties Chairmen Forum, in Ogun State, has distanced itself from the purported adoption and endorsement of the governorship candidate of Allied People’s Movement (APM), Abdul Kabir Adekunke Akinlade, by 60 political parties.

The Forum, which is also an affiliate of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, added that as it was reported last week that IPAC had given nod to Akinlade’s candidacy ahead of the 2019 poll, the council as a body never pronounced the APM candidate as its consensus candidate.

Briefing journalists on Wednesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the spokesperson of the Forum, Olusegun Olufemi, said it rejected in totality the adoption of any governorship candidate.

Flanked at the press briefing by the state chairmen of Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), Biola Lawal and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Okuoye Taiwo,   Olufemi, who is the Ogun state chairman and the governorship candidate of Better Nigerian Progressive Party (BNPP), stated the Forum, made up of 10 political parties, had written a petition to the national chairman of IPAC, Peter Ameh, over the matter.

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He termed the said adoption “a gross misconduct, abuse of office and actions inimical to the constitution of IPAC by its executive members in Ogun State”.

According to him, IPAC by its rules and regulations, has no mandate to endorse or adopt any candidate and further described the adoption of Akinlade as “fake and fraudulent”.

Olufemi, noted that about 38 political parties will vie for the governorship position in the state, maintained IPAC’s main role is to ensure inter party harmony and not endorsing any particular candidate, especially when member parties have their own governorship candidates.

He, therefore, enjoined members of the public to disregard the purported adoption of any political party of candidate, submitting.