ONDO GUBER: SANWO-OLU, APC LEADERS CHARGE MEMBERS ON AIYEDATIWA’S VICTORY
The governor of Lagos State and the chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the leaders and supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State to come together and support the party’s candidacy in the upcoming November 16 gubernatorial election.
He called on all party members—especially the resentful candidates—to avoid conflict, band together, show unity, and support the APC and its candidate for governor, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the upcoming governorship election that takes place next month.
Speaking on Sunday at the party’s stakeholders gathering in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, was Governor Sanwo-Olu.
APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, National Vice Chairman (South-West) Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, former governorship candidates, and other national and state party leaders attended the meeting on behalf of Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), represented by Secretary to Ogun State Government Talabi Olatokunbo.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, the APC’s South-West Coordinator, stated during the stakeholders meeting that Ondo State is crucial to progressives and that everyone must work together to keep it in the progressive caucus.
According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, he, along with other governors and leaders of the party, would work assiduously to bring all members of the party together to form a formidable and indivisible bloc as the party goes into the governorship election in Ondo State, knowing that it is only a united front that can emerge victorious in political contests.
He said, “We have come here as a happy family. As APC family, we have come here to strengthen the party, and none of you will be left behind; nobody will be taken for granted as all of you are important, strategic, and critical in the delivery of our electoral victory on November 16.
“We have acknowledged yesterday’s Ondo; we are acknowledging today’s Ondo State, and the future is bright for Ondo State. This in-house meeting is to embrace all of us, beg all of us, and for all of us to agree to put whatever we have behind us. What is ahead of us is greater than what is behind us, and that is forward ever, backward never.
“The future is bright for Ondo. We must agree. We can’t get any leadership support other than this. If we come together, we will win. We are going out for an election; we need everyone in this election. That is why I brought everyone together to come and appeal to you. More than 85 percent of the votes we must get.”
In his address, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, also appealed to all the aggrieved members, particularly those who contested the party’s primary with Governor Aiyedatiwa, to close ranks and work as a team to ensure APC victory in the governorship election.
He said, “We are expecting 90 percent in the election; make sure you know those who are supposed to vote in your units and ensure they are mobilised to come out for the election.
“We assure you that Tinubu is the best we have, and we must deliver 100 percent in favour of APC in this election and in the South-West region. We assure you we are strategising to take over the two other states in this region.”
Speaking as well, Governor Oyebanji called on all party members to stick together in order to maintain the accomplishments of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. He also said that everyone must work together to guarantee that the APC continues to rule Ondo State.
“We have a duty to ensure the achievement of Akeredolu is not reversed. We have a duty to keep Ondo State in the progressive circle. Coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” he said.
Governor Aiyedatiwa said the gubernatorial election is about pushing Ondo forward and therefore called for unflinching support to achieve the goal. He thanked party leaders and stakeholders for their display of love, unity, and devotion.
Several former APC candidates for governor, including Chief Olusola Oke, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, and Princess Oladunni Odu, spoke at the ceremony and pledged their support for the APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa’s win in the gubernatorial election.
They said that in order to prevent the opposition party from seizing control of Ondo State, all of the candidates had committed to working for Governor Aiyedatiwa.