There is anxiety in the camp of Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, over his election petition case pending before the Supreme Court.
Akeredolu, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had defeated his Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) opponent, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, in the October 10, 2020 governorship election at the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
However, reports of “political leg work” allegedly being embarked upon by prominent chieftains of the PDP said to be rallying round Jegede ahead of the Supreme Court ruling may have unsettled Governor Akeredolu’s camp.
Jegede was recently invited to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital by Governor Nyesom Wike for commissioning of a project, a move seen by the Akeredolu camp as a veiled mobilization drive by the opposition party ahead of the apex court ruling.
The governor’s camp is also said to be uncomfortable with what it described at the weekend as new found rapport between PDP Governors and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in recent time.
Coming in the wake of defection of three PDP Governors to the ruling APC within a period of six months, the move by the opposition party chieftains is said to have unsettled the Governor’s camp and Ondo chapter of the APC.
The said consultation among the opposition figures is being viewed as a damage control move by the PDP to gain an additional state to its folds.
This is more disturbing to the Governor’s camp and Ondo APC considering the perceived frosty relationship between Governor Akeredolu and the Presidency over the recent quit order issued by the former to criminal herders to vacate forest reserves in Ondo state.
Ondo APC is also said to be apprehensive over the new found closeness between Wike and Atiku Abubakar.
The duo had parted ways over disagreements arising from the 2019 presidential nominations of the PDP.
Atiku had won the party ticket to the chagrin of Wike, who mobilised heavily for his friend and political ally, Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
Jegede was a strong member of the Atiku camp, a development that strained his relationship with Wike.
Having resolved their differences, it was gathered at the weekend that Wike has been rallying other PDP governors with a view to assembling a formidable legal team for Jegede to prosecute his case against Governor Akeredolu at the apex court.
