A gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 general election, Venerable Funso Awe, says the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may disintegrate in 2023 if National Leader of the party, Asiwaji Bola Tinubu, decides to pursue his perceived presidential ambition.
Awe, a cleric-cum-politician, was the gubernatorial candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) in Lagos.
He said that the politics surrounding the second term bid of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu would be a curtain-raiser to the intrigues expected as the battle for President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor begins in the APC.
Speaking with Daily Independent, Awe said, “The people of Ondo have always decided their destiny. Performance matters.
“If you psyche Ondo people, they do not see Rotimi Akeredolu as a performer. Several times, he was outside the state. He does not carry the people along. He almost lost the ticket at the last primary.
“I foresee a situation where he may lose the party primary. That is why they are dividing the APC at the state level. If he crosses to another party, he will also lose out.
“Logically and spiritually, Akeredolu will not get a second term. I am not talking about APC because APC may not present him. If he musters support and runs to the Presidency, if he gets support from Presidency and get APC ticket, he may come back.
“But it will also be a pointer to 2023. Will Buhari be able to decide his successor? Does he have that political maverick to appoint a successor? Or, the power that plays around him, will they also continue? Will the cabal within the Presidency be able to control him?
“The case of Ondo is still a case of Tinubu and the cabal in the Presidency. The person that lost to Aderedolu is Tinubu’s candidate.
“In 2020, it will still be a case of Tinubu’s man against Akeredolu and his people. If Akeredolu runs to Presidency and gets the ticket, will they be able to give Tinubu the presidential ticket? If Tinubu’s man loses in Ondo, it means the powers-that-be does not want him in Aso Rock.
“If this happens, APC will likely split. Tinubu’s camp may join another party and persuade other people to join him.
“If Tinubu leaves PDP and he carries along the Wikes, South East, Atiku, Tambuwal, Shekarau, is APC not dead? If South West, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti (not minding Fayemi’s presidential ambition), Oyo is already in PDP – if Tinubu teams up with Delta, Imo, Enugu and they are able to mobilise Sokoto and other PDP governors, the present APC is dead. People are really restrategisisng.”
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