Gov.  Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun says he will remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the senatorial election in 2019 while ensuring the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He, however, said aggrieved party members who defected to the Allied People’s Movement (APM) have his blessings.

Amosun spoke on Monday in Abeokuta at a stakeholders meeting of the APC which was attended by his preferred governorship candidate and the flagbearer of APM, Adekunle Akinlade.

The governor ’s declaration came as 26 aggrieved candidates of the APC loyal to the governor announced their defection to the APM.

Amosun said he had tried his best to stop the defection of  Akinlade and other aggrieved candidates.

He vowed to use everything within his capacity to ensure the success of Akinlade and other aggrieved members in their new party.

Amosun also said that he would not support the governorship candidate of the APC, Dapo Abiodun.

“When these people came, they told me they are leaving the APC, I said ‘no’ but I couldn’t stop them. In fact, Akinlade has my full support.

” I am not going to stop him, everything I have, I will use to support him, let them try whatever they want to try, we also have our strategies and I am not going to hide behind one finger.

“I remain in APC because that’s what those people want, they want us to leave APC but they are joking.

“ I will stay in APC to ensure that Buhari wins in Ogun State and to let them know that they can’t subvert the will of the state.

“Every day, I will campaign for President Muhammdu Buhari, we will do everything possible to ensure Buhari wins massively in Ogun, but they should not miss it.

“  I, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, will not support anyone they are bringing,” he said.

Amosun,  who vowed to resist rigging in the state, also pledged to check violence in the electoral process.  (NAN)