Presidency set to stop Tinubus anointed manJonathans aide dump Mimiko, backs SheriffLess than three months to November governorship in Ondo state, a we fresh web of intrigues appears to be trailing the contest in the two main political parties- the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) and the All Progressives Congress ( APC).The intrigues have to do with the choice of standard bearers for both parties even as the leaderships of the parties are divided along interest lines.It was gathered that in order to calm frayed nerves and give a clearer direction, the Presidency is expected to meet with the over 20 governorship aspirants seeking to fly the APCs flag.The meeting will hold on Monday night in Abuja and will be hosted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr Babachir David Lawal.It was unclear if the aspirants would meet President Muhammadu Buhari after meeting the SGF.According to an impeccable source, the meeting of the SGF and the aspirants which had the blessing of the president was conveyed on the heels of protests that trailed the endorsement of one of the governorship aspirants, Engr Segun Abraham, by the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.The purported endorsement of Abraham has already polarized the party, culminating in the controversial removal of the state chairman, Hon Isaacs Kekemeke just as most of the governorship aspirants wrote protest letters to the national leadership of the APC as well as the Presidency.The source who is privy to Mondays parley said the other governorship aspirants, led by former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu(SAN) had sought audience with President Buhari who mandated the SGF to meet them and give clear directions.The proposed meeting was reportedly brokered by three ministers who are close to the president. The three ministers, two of whom are from the South-West have a frosty relationship with Tinubu while the other is from the South-South.The trio is said to backing Akeredolu whose friendship with the APC national leader has also hit the rocks. Akeredolu was the governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN) in the 2012 Ondo State governorship election.The endorsement of one of the aspirants will be overturned on Monday night because the president has asked the SGF to listen to the aggrieved aspirants and give clear directions as to what to do.You know that people are working round the clock and with the calibre of persons,especially the three ministers backing on the aggrieved aspirants, I doubt if whatever endorsement that had been done will fly.We are yet to confirm, but there are indications that a statement will be made to that effect and a new line to follow might be laid out at the meeting, he said.Kuku dumps Mimiko s man, backs Sheriffs faction, opens talks with APC leaders Meanwhile, there are strong indications that negotiations between Governor Olusegun Mimiko and former presidential adviser, Hon Kingsley Kuku ahead of the governorship election may have broken down following the governors refusal to allow Kuku pair with Mr Eyitayo Jegede. Jegede had emerged the PDPs governorship candidate last week.Kuku now backs the Mr Jimoh Ibrahim led group of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.Hon Biyi Poroye, who is now the factional state chairman of the party was Kukus campaign coordinator for the Southern senatorial district while the state legal adviser, Barrister Ebi Eritei Ebekun is a cousin of the former presidential aide.Also, Kukus campaign spokesperson during the ill fated governorship attempt, Yemi Akintomide serves in the same position as director of publicity of the factional group while Kuku s rented campaign office along Ilesa road, Akure serves as state secretariat of the factional group.All the same, the former presidential aide has opened discussion with some leaders of the APC in order to forge an alliance against Jegede.Kuku was said to have made efforts to reach Tinubu through proxies to extract commitment from him for some softlanding over the multiple cases of alleged fraud leveled against him by the EFCC.It will be recalled that a two months ago, Mimiko had sent emissaries to Kuku in the United States where he is self exiled, seeking his support for Jegede but the former presidential aide was said to given two related conditions, one of which was to be Jegedes running mate.The other was to allow him nominate the running mate if the first condition did not fly.It was on the heels of this that Kuku reportedly expressed his preference for his former campaign chief, Hon John Mafo.However, Mimiko was said to have tacitly turned down the request,opting for wider consultations within the leadership of the PDP before taking a decision on the issue of Jegedes running mate.
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