The Ondo State Governor-elect, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday said he did not acknowledge a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his victory speech on Sunday because it was not expedient to do so.

He said having acknowledged President Muhammadu Buhari who is the recognised national leader of the party and the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, it was safe to infer that he had acknowledged all party leaders.

Akeredolu said this while answering State House correspondents’ questions shortly after he and his deputy, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, met Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

They were led to the meeting, which was their first after their victory, by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council in Ondo State, Governor Simon Lalong.

The governor-elect who said the relationship between him and Tinubu was cordial explained that mentioning the name of the former Lagos State Governor specifically would have amounted to him mentioning names of about 37 other leaders of the party.

He said, “On the names that were mentioned in my speech when expressing gratitude and that I didn’t specifically thank Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I thanked the President and the leader of our party profusely for the leadership which he showed leading to this election.

“I also thanked our indefatigable chairman for standing by the truth and for his position on this matter that led to this election. I have no reason to do otherwise.

“Party structure to the best of my knowledge is very clear. You have the leadership of the party and that is represented by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

“After the election, a chief executive emerges, he becomes a leader of the party, you don’t have to personalise and be looking for leaders all over the place.

“If we have to do that, then I will have to mention 36 or 37 leaders. So I believe the leadership as represented by the President covers all leaders and that tells me it would include Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande, Onu, and so many leaders.

“But President Buhari is the leader of the party. So, that is my position there.”

Akeredolu however added that Tinubu remains one of the leaders of the party, noting that he has since sent congratulatory message to him after he won the election.

“For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the party and I don’t see any strain relationship between us. And you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory message after the election, so what else do you expect?

” I mean all of us see this as victory for the APC, not for Akeredolu, not for us an individual but for the party as a whole. I believe he is a member of the party. Mr. Femi Adesina had issued a release but you journalists just want to put words into our mouths,” he said.

Akeredolu also said despite his decision not to probe the administration of the outgoing governor, Olusegun Mimiko, he would not close his eyes if he stumbled upon any established cases of wrongdoing in the course of carrying out his responsibilities as the governor.

SillyMods:
Tinubu brought this on himself.

He's too overbearing and domineering, which if not put under control will cause him more loss of influence.

Can anyone imagine Tinubu romancing with Fayose just because you lost out in Ondo and a few other places!

Well, those the gods want to destroy, he first makes them mad.

chiwetaluAGU:

Don't take sides unless you are a deep insider, as in, if only you are on ground floor zero of the inner happenings.
Its now obvious Tinubu is intentionally being insulted. I may not like him but this is highly unnecessary and silly of the other camp

SouthWestBlood:
Akeredolu, 4 years will come and APC will be no more by then. Let's see if you will contest under CPC.

SillyMods:

Why do you think APC will be no more then?

SouthWestBlood:


The errors are there and late to fix. It'll see the party crumbling. Look at what Tinubu commented about Atiku lately.

SouthWestBlood:
Akeredolu, 4 years will come and APC will be no more by then. Let's see if you will contest under CPC.

HungerBAD:
Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

It is just too early for you to start this way.

Your explanation is even more of an insult to Tinubu, and those sending you to ridicule him, will leave you out in the cold when it is your time to face the heat.

You are new in Politics, and this is how you want to start?remember there is a reason why Western Politics is called the Wild Wild West Politics, and towing this line will educate you on how that name was gotten.

When Tinubu congratulated you on all National Dailies, he specifically mentioned your name and wished you well. The path you are towing, is exactly why i do not like Lawyers, who for some strange reasons think they are smarter than everybody, with their knack for twisting the English Language.

You refused to mention his name, and as a man own up to it, instead of trying to twist words. Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, if i were you, i will quickly close rank with the Tinubu faction of the APC because as they say, Politics is local.

When the time comes, Oyegun will not leave Benin to come to the West or Buhari the North for you.

deji15:


The mouth does not recollect eating yesterday. In 2012, Tinubu supported this same Akeredolu.

SillyMods:
Tinubu brought this on himself.

He's too overbearing and domineering, which if not put under control will cause him more loss of influence.

Can anyone imagine Tinubu romancing with Fayose just because you lost out in Ondo and a few other places!

Well, those the gods want to destroy, he first makes them mad.

HungerBAD:
Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

It is just too early for you to start this way.

Your explanation is even more of an insult to Tinubu, and those sending you to ridicule him, will leave you out in the cold when it is your time to face the heat.

You are new in Politics, and this is how you want to start?remember there is a reason why Western Politics is called the Wild Wild West Politics, and towing this line will educate you on how that name was gotten.

When Tinubu congratulated you on all National Dailies, he specifically mentioned your name and wished you well. The path you are towing, is exactly why i do not like Lawyers, who for some strange reasons think they are smarter than everybody, with their knack for twisting the English Language.

You refused to mention his name, and as a man own up to it, instead of trying to twist words. Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, if i were you, i will quickly close rank with the Tinubu faction of the APC because as they say, Politics is local.

When the time comes, Oyegun will not leave Benin to come to the West or Buhari the North for you.

SillyMods:
Tinubu brought this on himself.

He's too overbearing and domineering, which if not put under control will cause him more loss of influence.

Can anyone imagine Tinubu romancing with Fayose just because you lost out in Ondo and a few other places!

Well, those the gods want to destroy, he first makes them mad.

kcnwaigbo:

My dear Tinubu is finished politically!!!!It has begun in ondo,Amosun and Ajimobi will soon give him the booth

Khd95:
i heard fayose,governor general of the opposition wailing confederate wants to change platform in 2018.


Pdp how market nau

Olu317:
.... you really have to understand between God and god. The god belong to Mortal men and God is decider of history. Akeredolu has won but time will tell whose history will be reckoned with in the mindsets of the Yorubas. I wish some of you will go back to history and differentiate between Awolowo's school of thought against Akintola"s school of thought. History doesn't go away. I am not comparing Jagaban with Awolowo but a Yoruba leader is divinely chosen and not through back door like Akeredolu. Have you ever heard of Chief Richard Akinjide?, an elder state man of Nigeria but what does history have about him in Yoruba land? Akeredolu has won, let's see what four years say about him.

OPCNAIRALAND:


Ok here comes the conjectures!

How did he romance with Fayose?

HungerBAD:
Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

It is just too early for you to start this way.

Your explanation is even more of an insult to Tinubu, and those sending you to ridicule him, will leave you out in the cold when it is your time to face the heat.

You are new in Politics, and this is how you want to start?remember there is a reason why Western Politics is called the Wild Wild West Politics, and towing this line will educate you on how that name was gotten.

When Tinubu congratulated you on all National Dailies, he specifically mentioned your name and wished you well. The path you are towing, is exactly why i do not like Lawyers, who for some strange reasons think they are smarter than everybody, with their knack for twisting the English Language.

You refused to mention his name, and as a man own up to it, instead of trying to twist words. Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, if i were you, i will quickly close rank with the Tinubu faction of the APC because as they say, Politics is local.

When the time comes, Oyegun will not leave Benin to come to the West or Buhari the North for you.