Ibikunle Amosun, a former governor of Ogun State, has said he is supporting the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate, Biyi Otegbeye, in next year’s election.
Amosun, however, said he is strongly backing the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to emerge as the next president.
This confirms Daily Trust’s earlier report that Amosun had unleashed another political son, against Governor Dapo Abiodun who is seeking re-election.
In the report, our correspondent reported how Amosun had zeroed in on Otegbeye after he fell out with Adekunle Akinlade who contested against Abiodun, in 2019, on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM.
Amosun, now Senator representing Ogun Central, had backed Akinlade against Abiodun who ran under the All Progressives Congress, APC.
In the polls’ result, Abiodun polled 241,670 votes to defeat Akinlade who had 222,153 votes.
And in the build-up to the 2023 polls, both Otegbeye and Akinlade contested in the APC governorship primary, but lost to Abiodun.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that Akinlade fell out with Amosun when he dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he was offered deputy governorship slot.
Insiders also told Daily Trust that Amosun gave Otegbeye a nod to run on the platform of APM, but Akinlade allegedly blocked the move, leaving the former governor’s men to bargain for the ADC’s governorship ticket.
However, Amosun openly confirmed that he is backing Otegbeye in the next election against Abiodun who is the candidate of APC, the party they both belong to.
Amosun spoke during an exclusive interview with BBC Yoruba, monitored by our correspondent in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“For the presidential poll, I can assure you, both right, left and centre, we are supporting one person (Tinubu). I believe we are supporting one person. On the governorship poll, that’s a different ball game. I don’t belong there.
“I don’t hide behind one finger to fight. That’s why people say to me ‘don’t say that.’ On governorship, my supporters and I, we don’t belong to that side.”
Asked who is supporting, Amosun responded “Biyi Otegbeye is the person I am supporting and ADC is the party.”
