Don’t negotiate with my name, Amosun tells APC defectors

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, has warned some of his supporters who have been defecting to other political parties not to negotiate with his name.

Amosun also declared his support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in spite of the ‘injustice’ meted out to his camp.

The former governor, now a senator, representing Ogun Central Senatorial District stated this at an extended leaders’ meeting of his APC faction, held at his Ibara residence in Abeokuta, 

Represented by the faction’s chairman, Derin Adebiyi Amosun maintained that those defecting from the party are free to test their popularity elsewhere, saying, however, that they should not negotiate with his name.

He noted that he would not stop any of his followers from achieving their political ambitions in any political party of their choice.

He, however, pleaded that he should be left out of the negotiations as he remains focused on ensuring Tinubu wins the 2023 presidential election.
Amosun also maintained that the President remains his best friend, no matter what happens; promising to stay with him till the end of his administration on May 29, 2023.
It would be recalled that Senator Amosun’s anointed candidate in the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State, Adekunle Akinlade who was a flag bearer of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), resigned his membership of the APC last week, citing gross injustice and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It was gathered that some other key members of the Amosun political camp have also left the party due to the failure of the national leadership to ensure that a sharing formula proposed by the party’s reconciliation committee is adhered to in the state.

Adebiyi said: “He (Amosun) has sent us to you that he stands with Tinubu, he is loyal to APC. He stands with President Muhammadu Buhari and by the grace of God, on May 29, 2023, he will follow him to Daura and say Alhamdulilah.
“And If there is any other step to be taken, it will be a collective decision.
“Now, he said we should tell all of you that whoever loves him and believes in him with all his explanations, such person should stay with him and that he is not angry with anybody.
“Whoever that wants to contest in another platform is free to contest, but should not use the name of this group or that of SIA to negotiate. This is what Amosun is saying. This is what he has asked us to tell you.”
Meanwhile some of the loyalists at the meeting were not happy with the message as they insisted on moving into another party.