- Backs Governor’s Re-election Bid
By Kolawole Ojebisi
One of the strong governorship aspirants in Ondo state, Engineer Ifeoluwa Oyedele, has stepped down for the incumbent Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
This is coming some hours before the All Progressives’ Congress(APC) primaries scheduled to hold tomorrow, Monday July, 20, 2020.
Oyedele who spoke to journalists at government house, Alagbaka, Akure, said “both elections will be without bloodsheds, and both of us will work together to win that election.
“I want to assure you that the interest of the citizen of the state is more important than any other thing, and we determined to ensure that we work together only for what will benefit citizens of Ondo State.
“We will work together to unite the party, to rebuild the party, to unite our people so that we can have rapid economic developments. We call on other participants to join us in this quest,” he added.
In his response, Akeredolu thanked Oyedele for taking a bold step to support his second term bid, adding that their collective efforts will make Ondo State greater.
“You are one of our best exports from Ondo state, and we are proud of your achievements. Our collective effort can only result in a greater Sunshine State. Welcome to the team,” he said.
With this development, there are 10 more candidates for the incumbent governor Akeredolu to contend with for the sole ticket of the party which is for the candidate that eventually emerges as its standard bearer.
The screening committee of the ruling party in the state had on Thursday cleared twelve (12) aspirants to jostle for the party’s ticket.
Despite Oyedele’s decision to step down for Akeredolu, the Governor still has two strong contenders in Segun Abraham and Olusola Oke, one of these two is believed to be Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s candidate.
Last Thursday Tinubu had said that party members in the state should be able to “determine if the governor (Akeredolu) or another one of our able candidates is the person they prefer to lead the state”.
Tinubu, in a statement released by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Tunde Rahman said “one would expect the governor to have a solid chance in the primaries. Yet, along with the governor, the party has the benefit of numerous capable candidates seeking the nomination”.
Meanwhile, other candidates, apart from the governor, have rejected the indirect mode of primary adopted, preferring direct mode instead.
The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed October 10 for the governorship election in the state.
Should he emerge as the party’s standard-bearer governor Akeredolu may face his estranged deputy, who has defected to the People’s Democratic Party, as his major opponent in the election proper.
