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Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State on Monday appreciated President Bola Tinubu for allowing enabling environment for the peaceful conduct of the Saturday’s governorship primary in the state.
Aiyedatiwa stated this in his acceptance speech after his emergency as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.
Usman Ododo, the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee for Ondo State and Governor of Kogi, had on Monday declared Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the Saturday’s primary.
Ododo said that Aiyedatiwa polled 48,569 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, who had 15,343 out of 95,178 valid votes.
Aiyedatiwa also appreciated the national and state working committee of the party for ensuring that the “best candidate emerged” as the party’s standard bearer.
He also commended other contestants for their sportsmanship and urged them to join hands with him to ensure the party’s victory in the November election.
“Democracy sometimes comes with discordant tunes. This is not the time to hold grudge against one another, but for all of us to come together so as to remain in power,” he said.
Ondo APC primary is sheer show of shame – Akinterinwa
Meanwhile, the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation has described the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state on Saturday as a show of shame.
Mr Wale Akinterinwa, a former Commissioner in the government of the late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, is one of the 16 aspirants seeking the party’s ticket to contest the Nov. 16 governorship election.
The Spokesperson of the organisation, Mr Segun Ajiboye, in a statement on Sunday in Akure, said that no election was held in the state by the Gov. Usman Ododo-led primary election committee.
“Without any fear of contradiction, we state here that no election was held in any part of Ondo State on Saturday to elect the candidate of the APC.
“It is on record with incontrovertible evidence that nothing in the semblance of a primary election was held in all the 203 wards in Ondo State.
“At best, what can be said to have happened was that the committee chairman, Gov. Ododo, arrived in the state at about 8 am on Saturday to write the result of an election that was never conducted.
“Saturday’s election presented our dear party with a rare opportunity to endear itself to the people of the state.
“All that was needed was for us to organise an election that would be hailed by all, even the opposition.
“But we bungled the opportunity with the sham organised by the electoral committee,” he stated.
Ajiboye explained that the committee’s assurance to conduct a free and fair primary election was dashed and not fulfilled.
“It was not surprising that what Gov. Ododo did on Saturday was far distant from what was promised.
“However, what was surprising was the audacity and the indecent manner the election committee actualised its plot, which was scripted and directed to favour a particular candidate,” he stated.
According to him, never before in the history of the APC has it witnessed anything close to what was put on display on Saturday.
“The supportive and hardworking members of the APC were robbed and made to understand or believe that their votes do not count,” Ajiboye said.
He, however, commended the resilience and perseverance of the supporters of Akinternwa across the 203 electoral wards in the state, assuring them that their efforts were noted.
“We, therefore, most respectfully appeal to all our supporters to remain calm and peaceful, law-abiding, and conduct themselves most responsibly while we explore legal and democratic ways to register our grievances.
“We assure you that our principal, Wale Akinterinwa remains absolutely undaunted and deeply committed to the tenets of democracy.
“Let the world know that this is not about Wale Akinterinwa. It is our contribution to deepen democracy and for a better life for our people.
“It is about the future of our state,” the organisation’s spokesman said.