Factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Fouad Oki, yesterday, alleged a Southwest governor and the lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Bayo Oshinowo, were plotting against the second term ambition of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Oki, who was guest on a radio programme, Morning Digest on Lagos Talks 91.3FM, hosted by veteran journalist, Jimi Disu, said the duo had approached him to discuss the plot and challenged them to come out publicly to state their own sides of the story or deny such discussion ever took place.

“I think they should be manly enough to come out to say what the governor has done that they are not happy with.

It is not by keeping the man in the dark and not telling him exactly what it is and then carrying hosanna in the day and crucifying him at night. They should be manly enough to come out,” Oki said.

He also blamed the duo for the crisis in the party in the state, saying they were bent on having their way and taking control of the party, having decided that everybody must join the Mandate Group, saying: “And because they have their issues with the governor, they have made up their mind on what the likely result of party primaries would be and if they have issues with governor, they should not bring it or situate it within the party process,” he said.

He denied having any scores to settle with Ambode, describing his relationship with the governor as cordial.

Oki explained: “The last time we met, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, our leader, invited me to meet Asiwaju with him to discuss some issues at Bourdillon Road.

While we were there, the governor came in and we all greeted and when the governor got to me, he said, Egbon ma fe no yin pa ni and we laughed.

“About five minutes after, Olusi came in and myself and Olusi were going in to meet with Asiwaju and then the governor saw me again and called me and we exchanged banters again.”

He recalled another meeting in the build-up to the by-election in Eti-Osa last year at the Government House, which he attended as vice chairman of the party for Central and where he embraced and exchanged banters with the governor, insisting: “I don’t have issues with him, those that have issues with him should call him and resolve it rather than bring it into the party.”

Oki, however, said his major grouse was the alleged illegality perpetrated during the APC congress in the state, which produced Alhaji Tunde Balogun as chairman of the party, noting that as a grassroots man, he had a formidable following behind him against the party bigwigs, who do not want to enthrone internal democracy in the APC.

He revealed that his group had gone to court to seek interpretations of the constitution and the party’s by-laws concerning holding primaries in 57 local governments and local council development areas, instead of 20 local government areas only.

He also cautioned that if the matter was not settled amicably, APC might not field a candidate in next year’s governorship election.

But when contacted, Oshinowo denied working against the governor, asking rhetorically whether he can work against himself. (Guardian)

Update news