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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The immediate past governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has revealed that he is supporting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Biyi Otegbeye, in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Amosun made the disclosure in an interview with BBC Yoruba, on Monday.
Amosun, however, said he is strongly backing the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to emerge as the next president.
Recall that Amosun supported Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, in 2019.
It was gathered that the former governor zeroed in on Otegbeye after he fell out with Akinlade
Amosun, who currently represents Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the build-up to the 2023 election, both Otegbeye and Akinlade contested the APC governorship primary, but lost to Abiodun.
Akinlade, according to reports, fell out with Amosun following his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he picked the deputy governorship slot.
The former governor reportedly gave Otegbeye the nod to run on the platform of APM, but Akinlade allegedly blocked the move, leaving Amosun’s loyalists to bargain for the ADC’s governorship ticket.
However, Amosun has now openly confirmed that he is backing Otegbeye in the governorship election against Abiodun, who is the candidate of his party, APC.
“For the presidential poll, I can assure you, both right, left and centre, we are supporting one person, Tinubu. I believe we are supporting one person. On the governorship poll, that’s a different ball game. I don’t belong there.
“I don’t hide behind one finger to fight. That’s why people say to me ‘don’t say that.’ On governorship, my supporters and I, we don’t belong to that side,” he said.
Asked who is supporting, Amosun replied: “Biyi Otegbeye is the person I am supporting and ADC is the party.”