TIAM Dissociates Self From Akeredolu’s Opposition To Zoning Of NASS Leadership

A socio-political group, Tinubu Independent Action Movement (TIAM), has dissociated itself from the rejection and condemnation of the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the leadership of the 10th National Assembly by the governor of  Ondo State, Arakunrin  Rotimi Akeredolu

The group said in a statement dated Tuesday May 16, 2023 and titled; “Governor Akeredolu’s Affront on the leadership of APC: Count us out,” that it was not part of the public outbursts of Akeredolu against the decision of the party on the issue.

The statement was jointly signed by its Chairman, Senator Tayo Alasoadura and TIAM Leader, Senator (Prof) Robert Ajayi Boroffice, who is also the Senate Deputy Majority Leader.

“On 10th May, 2023, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State released a press statement in which he rejected and condemned the zoning of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly by the National Working Committee of our party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We dissociate ourselves from his unwarranted and publicly documented outburst. It severely undermined the leadership of our party and affronted our President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also doubles as the National Leader of our party as we have no doubts that the National Working Committee announced the zoning arrangement after due consultation with the President-elect and National Leader.

“We are not of course surprised as Governor Akeredolu has a track record of anti-party activities and this has proved costly to the party in Ondo State,” the statement read.

The group stated that during the presidential and National Assembly elections of 2019, Akeredolu confronted the leadership of the party by asking the candidates to be fielded under the Action Alliance against the candidates of the APC.

It said that consequently, the party lost the presidential election, two of the three senatorial seats and five of the nine house of reps seats.

“At the last presidential primary election of our party in 2022, it is public knowledge that Governor Akeredolu preferred another candidate to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and worked assiduously to forestall the emergence of the Jagaban as our party’s presidential candidate.

“We concede to him the right to support any candidate of his choice, but he has no right to continue to portray Ondo State APC in bad light.

“We recall that the Governor was a beneficiary of Tinubu’s well-known support for candidates.

“For, in the gubernatorial election of 2012, Akeredolu was the choice of Tinubu who as a result gave him all the support he needed,” they said.

They added that Akeredolu was never with Tinubu during the recent presidential election, and that he was lukewarm publicly, but worked against Jagaban behind the scene.

According to them, “however, that was in fact a blessing to Tinubu as Akeredolu has become very unpopular in the state, particularly among the rank and file of APC members.

“Without his support for Tinubu and in spite of his sympathy for another candidate, APC members in particular and Ondo State voters in general voted overwhelmingly for Tinubu with 69% return, which turned out to be the highest in the country.

“We of the Tinubu Independent Action Movement led the campaign in the State to Akeredolu’s discomfiture and discomfort. We are therefore not surprised that he remains bitter and has chosen to visit the transferred aggression on the leadership of our party.”

TIAM then assured the leaders of the party, particularly the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that Akeredolu is on his own.

They said that a large majority of APC members in Ondo State is loyal to him, to the party’s National Working Committee and to the party in general.

“On the specific issue of the zoning of National Assembly leadership positions, we trust the judgment of the national leadership of our party.

“Therefore, we support whatever decision it takes on the matter. We implore our National Working Committee to ignore the tirades, vituperation and vilification poured on it by Akeredolu.

“We also plead with our National Leader and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject any attempt by Akeredolu or any other person or group for that matter to distract him from his focus on the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead of him,” the statement read.