The national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and governors elected on the platform of the party in the South-West have met with APC stakeholders in Ondo State ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the State.
The meeting was conveyed to reconcile aggrieved APC members in the State ahead of the forthcoming November governorship election.
At the meeting, Ganduje underscored the need for cooperation, boasting that the ruling APC will capture the South-West geo-political zone in the next round of elections.
Ganduje, who also urged all aggrieved governorship aspirants in the Ondo State governorship primary election to close ranks ahead of the forthcoming election, noted that the state must be at the forefront in winning the South-West zone for APC.
Addressing the stakeholder meeting held in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Sunday, the APC national chairman said, “In this geopolitical zone, we must deliver 100 per cent in favour of APC. Therefore, Ondo State, you must be at the forefront.”
Ganduje, who led other APC National Working Committee (NWC) members to the all-important meeting, disclosed that the party will not reveal its secret in winning the other two States in the next off-cycle governorship elections.
According to him, “The two other states, I will not reveal our secret, but we assure you, we are strategising. Everything must be 100 per cent behind President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
While calling on the party leaders in the state to unite behind the incumbent governor and the governorship candidate of the party in the November 16 election, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ganduje announced the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwolu, as the chairman of the National Campaign Council of the party for the Ondo State governorship election.
“We have made every arrangement at the national level to have a successful election. We are here to give you hope, encourage you, and that this election is a task that must be done. We are encouraged by this large crowd of stakeholders.
“This shows that there is unity, solidarity, and vigour in the party. Those who contested the primary are not losers because there is no victor nor vanquished in the exercise.
“We are expecting 90 per cent votes in the forthcoming governorship election. Visit house to house, neighbour to neighbour, and ensure that you go round and mobilise people to come out to vote,” Ganduje added.
Earlier, Governor Sanwolu, who led other South-West APC governors and leaders to the meeting, appealed to aggrieved members and aspirants of the party to forget the past and work for the success of the party in the forthcoming poll.
Sanwolu said, “Regardless of our differences, everybody must come together. We need everybody to get on the bus. The entire party formation has come to unite this family. We are here to tell you that none of you will be left behind.
“Nobody will be taken for granted. You are critical to the delivery of the forthcoming governorship election. The gathering is to embrace all of us. It is for all of us to agree. We are here to support, encourage, and appease you. I am happy with the turnout. Let me thank Chief Oke, Isaac Kekemeke, Wale Akinterinwa, and others.”
Also, the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, reminded the stakeholders that the forthcoming governorship election will be the first election to be conducted under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu in the South-West zone.
According to him, “November 16th is a defining moment for us as a zone. This election would be the first election to be conducted under the leadership of President Tinubu, the first election after the demise of Arakunrin Akeredolu. So, we must preserve what he had worked and laboured for. Do this for the President, do this for history, and do this for prosperity.”
For his part, the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who also charged the party leaders to forget the past, warned that “There is nothing to share in zero.”
According to him, “The true heroes of today are Wale Akinterinwa, Oke, Kekemeke, and Jimoh Ibrahim. We cannot afford to lose this election.”
While noting that the South-West is the only zone that has three off-season governorship elections, Bamidele informed that the president was involved in the forthcoming election.
He said, “The election is very important to us. The reconciliation will continue after the election. Unfortunately for PDP, they don’t have anybody to be their candidate except our person. This reconciliation will continue after the election and he will come back.”
Responding, one of the former aspirants, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, informed the gathering that he will spend his resources to ensure that the party won the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Akinterinwa who noted that it was in the best interest of the party members that Governor Aiyedatiwa win the poll, noted that he remained a committed member of the party contrary to insinuations that he had dumped the APC.
Also, Chief Olusola Oke, said: “I was involved in the primary. In a democracy, there must always be a contest. Sixteen of us except one have resolved to put all the past behind us. We believe that we must not allow Ondo State to slip into opposition. Our party will be victorious. We are leaders, we are democrats. We will support our party. We have put the past behind us.”
The meeting was also attended by the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun represented by his SSG, Talabi Olatokunbo; APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; APC National Vice Chairman (South-West), D.I Kekemeke, and Chief Tajudeen Olusi, among other party chieftains and stakeholders.
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