Anxiety over choice of ACN Candidate in Ondo state
Information available to NigerianEcho indicates that palpable anxiety is over the air in Ondo state as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is set to announce the choice of its candidate for the governorship elections scheduled for October, 20, 2012. The ACN which is not known for adhering to democratic principle in the choice of its candidates for election has set up various committees charged with the responsibilities of adopting a candidate amongst the long list of 36 candidates seeking the nod of the party to flag its flag in the October election.
NigeriaEcho gathered in Akure, Ondo State capital that the selection process could make or mar the ACN in the forthcoming election. According to sources, the party hierarchy is desperately devising means to make its decision acceptable to the rank and file members of the party in the state. Already, party leadership at the local government and ward levels are being contacted and persuaded to accept the decision of the party as final in view of not too cheering feelers that the leadership would likely announce an unpopular candidate as its flag-bearer.
Meanwhile, the selection process is believed to be encountering two major challenges at the moment. There is the herculean challenge of dousing the division which the Akoko/Owo dichotomy was likely to generate. Akoko and Owo constitute Ondo North Senatorial District which has been clamouring for a shift in the governorship slot based on the presumption of unwritten single-term tenure for governor. First Civilian Governor of Ondo state, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin who ruled between 1979 and 1983 hailed from Owo division while Chief Adebayo Adefarati who was governor between 1999 and 2003 hailed from Akoko Division.
The Owo division is clamouring for a shot at the governorship based on the fact that the division occupied the position last almost 30 years ago. The Akoko division is also asserting legitimacy to the slot based on the argument that Akoko has 4 local government areas compared to 2 local government areas in the Owo division. By extension, Akoko division is canvassing for the governorship slot on the account of the fact that Adefarati hailed from Akoko south axis which has 2 local government areas like Owo division. By extension, the Akoko is demanding that Akoko North axis which also has two local government areas be allowed a shot at the governorship since the axis has never produced the governor.
Apart from Akoko/Owo dichotomy, the ACN selection process also has the hurdle of contending with the hurdle of dousing fears that certain aspirants have been lined-up by powerful individuals within the party leadership to hijack the process. NigerianEcho gathered that certain aspirants described on the eve of the selection process as ‘serious contenders’ with ‘deep purse’ are neither known to the party nor the people of the state. Indeed, the choice of ACN governorship candidate due to be announced on or before 15th of June is believed to be decisive in determining whether or not the ACN would be serious contender in the governorship election.
