By Osagie Otabor, Akure
A former Deputy Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, has begged aggrieved members of the forum to accept Chief Olusola Oke as the forum’s consensus aspirant to stand against Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the party’s primaries.
Over 10 governorship aspirant of the forum on Tuesday kicked against emergence of Chief Oke as consensus aspirant.
But Alhaji Olanusi said the choice of Chief Oke was because of popularity as they are contending against a Governor “who has all, except popularity, at his beck and call.”
Alhaji Olanusi explained that a meeting of a 52-man Special Purpose Committee to review the Screening Committee report could not hold in order not violate the NCDC’s COVID-19 pandemic rules.
Olanusi stated that he consulted widely on the report that recommended Chief Oke as the adopted candidate of the Ondo State APC Unity Forum to avoid further delay considering INEC position with regards to date of the primaries.
He appealed to other aspirants to accept the decision of the Special Purpose Committee in good faith in the overall interest of the Forum.
According to him, “You will please recall that all the stakeholders in the Forum came together for the sole of salvaging the state from the nepotic and despotic AKETI administration in the last three years.
Read Also: Ondo 2020: Outrage over Oke’s emergence as consensus candidate
“While all the aspirants are vibrant politicians, we would however perform better as a Forum if we parade our very best. The task ahead of us is a herculean one. We are contending with an incumbent who has all, except popularity, at his beck and call. Remember that we have nothing to share in zero; but a lot to salvage if we work as a team.
“I strongly believe that in this type of enterprise, there is no conqueror or vanquished. Let us therefore close ranks and join forces to timeously salvage the State
“I appeal to Chief Oke to put up the best acts as the matured politician so that together we can win the party primary and emerge victorious in the October Gubernatorial election. I thank you all for your time while extending the ‘Olive branch to all our leaders at the various levels and assuring them of our unalloyed loyalty to the cause of our great party the APC, at all time.
“I also plead with our party members and the generality of our people in Ondo State to warmly embrace our candidate. We assure you that Olusola Oke, SAN, is an astute politician and a game changer and would
apply the soothing balm to the wounds inflicted on us all in Ondo State when given
the chance.”
Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said Alhaji Olanusi deserves pity for saying Governor Akeredolu was not popular in the state.
“Even if he actually he said so, we don’t want to add to his burden. He has enough to carry. The old man deserves the pity of all rather than engaging him further to deepen his pains.”
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