WITH God and the support of Ogun residents, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the March 2 governorship election, Prince Dapo Abiodun, will be victorious, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday.His assertion came as the APC national secretariat accused Governor Ibikunle Amosun of masterminding the attack on party leaders at Mondays presidential campaign rally in Abeokuta, the state capital.The party vowed to punish the sponsors of the thugs who caused the violence and embarrassed President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders at the rally.He advised the electorate to cast their ballots for APC candidates at the national and state elections billed for Saturday and March 2.Expressing optimism about Abioduns victory at the palace of theEbumaweof Ago-Iwoye, Oba AbdulRasaq Adenugba, in the company of the APC governorship standard bearer, the vice president called on party members and supporters to be wary of those promoting division and candidates other than APCs.Osinbajo was at the palace to seek the monarchs and chiefs support ahead of the general elections.He reiterated that with APC-controlled government in the state under Abioduns watch and re-elected President Buhari in the saddle, the Gateway State would be better for it.Replying, the Ebumawe described Osinbajo and Abiodun as true sons of Ijebu land. He prayed for their success and urged his people to support them.The vice president also visited the monarch of IdowaIjebu, Oba Yinusa Adekoya.In a statement, the APC identified Amosun as the mastermind of the violence at the rally.The thugs infiltrated the MKO Abiola Stadium venue of the rally at in Abeokuta, pelting party leaders, including National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole with stones and sachets of water.The governor is backing the Allied Progressive Movement (APM) candidate in the March 2 governorship election, Adekunle Akinlade, against his partys Abiodun.Supporters of the two candidates had clashed on two occasions.APCs National Publicity Secretary Lanre Isa-Onilu said the party would take disciplinary measures against the sponsors of the attack after the elections.The statement reads: The All Progressives Congress (APC) regrets Mondays premeditated attacks sponsored by Governor Ibikunle Amosun on President Muhammadu Buhari and other senior party leaders at the venue of the presidential campaign rally in Ogun State.This is one act of indiscipline too many. The APC will not condone acts of indiscipline, indiscretion and anti-party activities from any party memberno matter how highly placed.The party will review this gross misconduct of deliberately positioning thugs to attack and embarras the President and the partys leadership. The party will take a decision on this matter immediately after the elections.It must be stated that party supremacy and discipline, according to our constitution, are not matters of choice but binding principles which must be adhered to by all party members.The APC is a party known for discipline, justice, fairness and equality. Hence, any plan to destroy what this party stands for would be rejected. No single person will be allowed to put his personal and selfish interests ahead of the wishes of the people of Ogun State and elsewhere.Post primaries, the decision of the National Working Committee to uphold the wishes of party members is unbendable. Therefore, whatever means being presently deployed by persons intending to undermine the wishes of the people for personal gains will not be tolerated.We urge our teeming party supporters and members not to be disturbed by Mondays condemnable incident. We urge all to continue trooping outen massefor our remaining campaigns and vote massively for all and only APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
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