ONDO 2023: OUR VICTORY MUST BE TOTAL – GOV AKEREDOLU
•Preaches Genuine Reconciliation Among Candidates, Co-Contestants
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Aketi, SAN, has charged candidates, stakeholders and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to work assiduously for the party to record total victory in the 2023 general elections.
Governor Akeredolu maintained that the party must work in unity to ensure that the three senatorial seats, the nine seats of the House of Representatives as well as the 26 seats of the state House of Assembly are won by the APC.
The Governor spoke on Thursday at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office, Akure during a meeting with the party aspirants who participated in the last week primary elections of the party and the winners of the shadow polls who are now the APC candidates for the 2023 elections.
Members of the state executive council also attended the meeting alongside the party state chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin.
Governor Akeredolu noted that the meeting became imperative as part of the moves to reach out to those who participated in the primaries but lost.
While describing the gathering as a family meeting, the Governor harped on the need for the candidates to personally reach out to their co-contestants and reconcile with them.
He appealed to the aspirants who lost the primary elections not to take it in bad faith, stressing that in any contest, a winner must emerge.
Governor Akeredolu pointed that there were no losers in the APC primaries in the state, adding that the tickets of the party are collectively owned by all those who participated in the primary elections.
Arakunrin Akeredolu cleared the air on the rumoured imposition in the party, noting that he didn’t not impose any aspirant on the party.
“I did not impose candidates on you. The decision of the party was made known here, and I felt we should follow it through. I said it specifically that whatever decision the party made did not preclude others to contest. And I am glad people contested.
“So, the primaries have come and gone. It is a process, a number of them can not be reversed. I congratulate those who won. Those who didn’t win, I want to appeal to you,” the Governor said.
Governor Akeredolu, who called the aspirants one after the other, appealed to them to take the outcome of the primaries in good faith and join hands with the winners to record victory in the next year’s general elections.
He equally advised the candidates to work on the same template and hold meetings together, stressing that candidates for the Senate can initiate and embark on genuine reconciliation among aspirants in their various senatorial districts.
“We can not and we must not lose any seat. Not even in the House of Assembly. We must have three senators this time around. We can not lose anywhere. We must not lose Akure South/North federal constituency. We have won before, we must win again.
“Let us bring out the glory of this party. This coming election is a very vital one. Your campaign must be APC-based. Appealing to your co-contestant is very important,” he noted.
Earlier, the party state chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, said that everyone is a winner.
Adetimehin said: “All of us are winners. Whatever that has happened should be seen as a family affair. I want to appeal to those who stepped down. I am here to appeal that we must work together. We do our things in Ondo state in a very colorful way. Let us see the contest as a contest within the family.”
Olabode Richard Olatunde
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
June 2, 2022.
