Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Ogun State Governor, said that he is standing with President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in spite of the “injustice” meted out to his camp.
Amosun said he would not stop any of his followers from achieving their political ambitions in any political party of choice.
However, he 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 friend, no matter what happens; promising to stay with him till the end of his administration on May 29, 2023.
Raye24reporters, earlier reports that Amosun’s chosen candidate in the 2019 governorship election in Ogun, Adekunle Akinlade, has resigned his membership of the APC, citing gross injustice.
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 of the party to ensure a sharing formula proposed by the party’s reconciliation committee is adhered to in Ogun.
Represented by the faction’s APC Chairman, Derin Adebiyi at an extended leaders’ meeting held at the Ibara residence of the former Governor, in Abeokuta, 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.
Sources at the meeting quoted Adebiyi as saying, “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.
“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 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.”
It was gathered that some loyalists at the meeting were not pleased with the message as they insisted on moving into another party.