Ondo First Lady Chased Out Of APC Secretariat Over Political Ambition In Imo

Betty Akeredolu, the First Lady of Ondo State, who is contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary election in Imo West, was reportedly chased out of the party secretariat in Imo on Saturday after she went to register her displeasure over the party’s leader’s inability to have a consensus candidate.

Mrs Akeredolu who hails from Owerri in Imo State had led her supporters to the secretariat to protest the consensus option adopted by the party in choosing its candidate for the 2023 election, according to Daily Trust.

However, confusion erupted when her supporters went berserk, insisting that they must be allowed to vote, but the police tried to control the crowd.

In the process, there was a stampede as both journalists and delegates who had also arrived for the exercise scampered for safety.

The policemen had to chase Akeredolu and her supporters out of the premises to continue their protest.

Akeredolu, who addressed journalists at the gate of the secretariat, said that it’s an injustice to allow aspirants to campaign only to be told that the party had adopted the consensus option.

She said, ”I am insisting that we must go by delegate election. I cannot waste time and resources campaigning only to be told that candidates would emerge by consensus. We must vote and if I lose gallantly, I will accept the result.

“Consensus my foot. If men agree to a consensus, I won’t agree. After spending my time and money, you are now telling me about consensus and all these while we have been campaigning and nobody talked about consensus.”

Speaking to newsmen, Mrs Akeredolu’s political opponents insisted that the first lady in Ondo State cannot become a senator in Imo State. Having aligned with the people of Ondo for almost five years, they argue, that she cannot just wake up and claim that she is ready to serve her kith and kin in Imo State.