Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Ahead of the Ondo state All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, the campaign organisation of an aspirant, Olaide Owolabi Adelami, has raised an alarm over alleged plot to forcefully use local government chairmen of the party to discredit his membership.
The campaign team in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by Segun Ogodo, urged the national leadership of the APC and the presidency to disregard what is described as ‘campaign of calumny’ against their principal.
“For record purposes, Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC in Igboroko 2 ward 3 where he worked assiduously for the success of all APC candidates in the 2019 general election.
“We hereby call on the leadership of APC, the presidency and all members of our great party to disregard this malicious and fallacious harassment coming from a governor who openly campaigned and worked against APC and the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari,” the statement read.
The campaign team further expressed pity for party LG chairmen; “for the predicament they have found themselves,” alleging that some persons were planning to “induce threats to life in forcing the chairmen to falsely claim that Adelami is not a member of the party.
“Whereas, Adelami had been at the forefront of promoting party cohesion in Ondo state, a job he started in 2018 when he was appointed state coordinator of the Presidential Support Committee.”
The statement said if there is anyone to be dissociated by the party chairmen, it should be Adelami, who has contributed much to the growth of APC in Ondo state in particular and in Nigeria in general.
“We reiterate for the umpteenth time that Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC, having worked closely with him the governor during his election in 2016 and during presidential election in 2019 and having seen his membership card on several occasions.
“We implore the Inspector General of police to act on all petitions we have written to his office in preventing government from setting Ondo state on fire with his violent acts.The good people of Ondo State are watching the reluctance of security agents towards Akeredolu’s killers squad with their utmost attention.”
The statement also urged the party’s national leadership toask the government for explanation on why APC lost Ondo state in 2019 presidential election.