by Oge Okonkwo

The newly registered party All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, seems to be in a state of crisis as a faction believed to be loyal to the national leader of the party, Chief Olusegun  Osoba, reportedly tipped  former Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr.Fola Adeola, to replace Governor Ibikunle Amosun as governor, in the coming election.

Indication arose, yesterday that Adeola may have joined the governorship race in his state as his campaign posters and banners surfaced in some parts of the state capital, Abeokuta.

The party has been divided with Osoba and Amosun leading factions.

Vanguard Newspapers reports:

Adeola was the running mate to former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in the 2011 presidential election  under the banner of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

Adeola’s posters were sighted at various strategic  locations, including Itoku, Isale Igbein, Ijaiye, Obantoko, Ake, Totoro, Iyana Mortuary and Lafenwa areas of Abeokuta, with  APC logo, party slogan and the inscription: “Change 2015 Fola Adeola for Governor.”

Vanguard reliably gathered that, the Osoba  faction which felt betrayed by Amosun’s alleged plan to sideline them in the choice of candidates for  the party ahead of the 2015 elections, reportedly vowed to ‘deal’  with the governor by  sponsoring another candidate against him  during the party’s  primaries.

According to findings, the  choice of Adeola was made because he is an Egba man and a Muslim like Amosun with a view to getting support from Egba division during the election.

Reacting to the development, a chieftain of the new party, Mr. Sina Oduntan, described the development as a normal thing, saying, anybody can show interest in the party.

He, however, described Amosun’s endorsement as ‘just an endorsement ‘, saying, it is not a consensus  by the party.

He said: “The governorship candidate will emerge from the state congress, whether it is unopposed or not. The recent endorsement of  governor Amosun is different from consensus of the party which is going to take place.”