Let’s Work Together, Aiyedatiwa Tells Jimoh, Akinterinwa, Oke Others 

Fidelis David in Akure

Ondo State Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has called on his co-contestants in Saturday’s governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to bury the hatchet for the interest of the party and the development of the state.

Aiyedatiwa stated this in his acceptance speech after he emerged as the APC candidate for the November 16 governorship election in the coastal state.

THISDAY reported that Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, and chairman of the seven-member committee set up by the national leadership of the party to supervise the exercise to elect a flag bearer for the November 16 poll in Ondo announced the winner of the election around 12:43am Monday, in Akure the state capital.

Specifically, Ododo said the candidate polled 48,569 votes to defeat his closet rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, who polled 15,343 votes.

Accordingly, Governor Aiyedatiwa praised President Bola Tinubu for enabling an environment for the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s governorship primary.

He said: “The internally orchestrated heavy politics within our party, APC, in search of our flag bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election has come to a conclusion today with the emergence of a candidate as declared by the Governorship Primary Election Committee under the chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State. 

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag bearer — Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Hon. Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi, Prince Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Funke Omogoroye.”

According to Aiyedatiwa, their participation has created so much awareness within and outside the party, which will ultimately enrich democracy and strengthen APC in the state.

“Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power. We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the state towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.  

“I want to specially thank the president and leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership. I thank the Vice-President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, the National Chairman of our party, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors, National and State Working Committees of our party and all stakeholders in the state for their forthrightness in the processes leading to my emergence as the flag bearer for our party in the Ondo 2024 governorship election.

“I thank all our traditional rulers, institutional heads, civil servants and all the stakeholders who have chosen me as their preferred candidate. I also thank all the party leaders, including the APC Aborigines, members of the campaign team and all others who toured the entire 18 local government areas together with me to engage with our party members. I do not take for granted the love shown to me by our members across the state.

“To all our party members, I hereby accept, wholeheartedly, the responsibility conferred on me as the candidate of our party by the votes of our members who turned out in their large numbers on the 20th of April 2024,” he said.

The governor added that: “Now, more than ever before, the greatness of Ondo State is what matters the most. I therefore request that we all join hands together in building the future that we all yearn for in Ondo State. There is infrastructure to be built; better healthcare services to be delivered; fair justice to be served; qualitative education to be ensured; civil servants to be trained and motivated; security of lives and properties to be strengthened; enabling environment to be created for businesses to thrive and attract investors.”