GOING by the words of Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised a reconciliation committee to reach out to those its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, defeated in the February 25 presidential poll.
The Committee of Elders has been set up to meet with Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and other candidates in a bid to assuage their loss.
According to Akeredolu, every aggrieved person would be reached out to for talks.
THe governor spoke in Abuja, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, a day after Asiwaju Tinubu extended hands of fellowship to other contenders.
In his acceptance speech, the president-elect hinted of a plan to carry along every stakeholder in his build to take Nigeria into loftier heights.
He said: “To my fellow candidates, former VP Atiku, former Governor Kwankwaso, former Governor Obi and all others, I extend the hand of friendship. This was a competitive, high-spirited campaign.
“You have my utmost respect. Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance.
“During the election, you may have been my opponent but you were never my enemy. In my heart, you are my brothers”.
Speaking at the International Conference Centre, venue of the presentation of Certificate of Return to the President-elect and the Vice president-elect, Senator Kashim Shetima, Akeredolu said the outcome of last Saturday’s election reflected the wishes of the electorate.
The statement reads: “The President-elect has set up committees to meet with the gentlemen who contested in the election for us to start the healing process. I belong to one of the committees. We are going to meet them and appeal to them so that we can work together.
“This is an election that was not padded. people who voted were counted, that is the way I see it, is not one which shows millions of votes. You can see the candidates, everyone won 12 states each, it has never been like that before.
“Ondo People are progressives and we will always at least be on the side of progressivism. From the onset we are at the forefront of clamour for a Southern President and so we have to put everything we had into it and we got support that is why we are able to make it.”