Why Tinubu was absent at Ondo Campaign rally in Akure

By Ismaila Chafe

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Monday said the absence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  the national leader of the All Progressives Congress at the Akure rally on Saturday was because of ill-health.

“Tinubu, was not at the rally due to ill-health”, Lalong told reporters in Abuja today.

He also said the South West All Progressives Congress governors, Mr Akinwumi Ambode(Lagos), Sen. Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo)and Mr Rauf Aregbosola(Osun) who were absent had sent in their apologies.

Lalong, who is the Chairman of Ondo APC Governorship Campaign Council, made this known to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Akure APC rally, which was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other prominent members of the party, was attended by only Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun from the South West.

APC governors from Imo, Kano, Kogi, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Edo states attended the rally.

Gov. Lalong, who was accompanied by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, however, explained that all the prominent APC personalities who failed to attend the rally  had offered useful and convincing explanations.

“We explained their absence. They sent in their apologies. You heard what happened there.

“As far as we are concerned, the President, who is the leader of the party, was at the rally. The national chairman was also there, as far as we are concerned, everybody was there.

“If a leader was not there and he said he was not there because of ill-health, we prayed that God will heal him.’’

Lalong said he was in the Villa to thank the President for attending the Ondo rally.

He noted that “we have come to thank the President for going to Ondo for the grand finale rally.’’

Tinubu, who is being addressed as National leader of the APC, had opposed the emergence of Rotimi Akeredolu as APC governorship candidate in Ondo.

He, therefore, demanded the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, whom he said had derailed from the path of progressives.

Odigie-Oyegun, however, dismissed the call, saying the party’s primary election was free and fair.