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Category: Ondo 2020

  • Ondo APC primary: Akeredolu leads in two LGs

    Ondo APC primary: Akeredolu leads in two LGs

     Osagie Otabor, Akure 

    Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is taking the lead as counting of votes began at the ongoing primary of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

    In two local government of Akoko North East and Akoko North West, Akeredolu polled over 300 votes while his closest rival in the sorted ballot, Chief Olusola Oke garnered 23 votes.

    Other aspirants that got votes were Ambassador Iji with two votes, Dr. Nath Adojutelegan one vote and Hon Isaacs Kekemeke one vote.

    Sorting is ongoing for Akoko South East.

  • God will make all plans fall in place for me – Akeredolu

    God will make all plans fall in place for me – Akeredolu

    By Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has expressed hope that God would make all plans fall in place for him to be victorious at the ongoing primary of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

    Three of the aspirants stepped down for Akeredolu before voting commenced at the Dome event centre.

    Akeredolu, who spoke before accreditation commenced, said he never wanted to be involved in complaints by some aspirants that they were not aware of the delegate list.

    Akeredolu said the delegate list is well known to all party members since the APC came into existence.

    According to him: “I never wanted to be involved in all the complaints because I know that a farmer goes to farm with implements. The farmer only complains when he is not ready.

    “In the APC, we know those who have been delegates over the years since APC came to be. We all know who the delegates are. I know the God I serve. He will do me well and all plans will fall in place.”

    Read Also: JUST IN: Voting begins in Ondo APC guber primary

    Another aspirant, Chief Olusola Oke, said more aspirants might still drop their aspirantion.

    Chief Oke commended Chairman of the Committee, Governor Yahaya Bello, for looking into some observations made.

    He however said they only demanded for transparent process.

    “We cannot tolerate a situation where the APC will slide into opposition in Ondo State. If there is credible primary. any one of us that emerges from that process, we will all rally round to sustain the hold of our party on the state and Nigeria.

    “There will be fight and quarrel when. people tried to cut corners. My confidence will be determined by the process. We pray for what happened in 2016 not to happen now. In election matters, the more you look the less you see,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Ondo guber primary: APC begins accreditation of delegates

    BREAKING: Ondo guber primary: APC begins accreditation of delegates

    Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Accreditation of delegates for primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State is ongoing.

    Delegates from Akoko-South West, Akoko-South East, Akoko-North Esst have just been ushered into the premises of the Dome, venue of the accreditation and voting.

    Heavy security has been beefed up at the venue of the primary.

    There are noticeable large crowd of delegates outside the gate waiting to be accredited.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu arrived the venue at about 12 noon to inspect accreditation.

    READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Ondo APC primary kicks off

    Another aspirant spotted at the venue was Chief Olusola Oke.

    Meanwhile, pressure was said to be on other aspirants to withdraw from the race to avoid the party going into the main election a divided party.

    Aspirants that have stepped down for Akeredolu are Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, and Jimi Odimayo.

    In a twist, Dr. Nath Adojutelegan, denied stepping down from the race.

    Adojutelegan in a statement reaffirmed his commitment to contest at the primary

    He said, “I cannot and will not step down in the interest of my people.”

  • PDP will defeat APC in Ondo, says Ekweremadu

    PDP will defeat APC in Ondo, says Ekweremadu

    Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has explained why the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) will defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress at the October governorship election.

    The Enugu West representative said the PDP has resolved its differences especially as it related to protest that followed the alleged three-man adhoc delegates list.

    Ekeremadu spoke to reporters in Akure when he monitored election of national delegates and one disabled person from 18 local government areas of the state.

    The elected national delegates and disabled persons are to join the elected three-man delegate to participate in the PDP primary scheduled for next Wednesday.

    Ekweremadu assured the Ondo PDP primary would hold as scheduled as the alleged doctored delegate list has been resolved.

    READ ALSO: BREAKING: Gov Bello heads Ondo APC Primary Election Committee

    According to him: “The issue of the three man delegates election has even resolved. There were some complaints and I am happy those complaints have been resolved. The July 22nd date for the PDP primaries in Ondo is still sacrosanct.

    “You can see the delegate election was free and fair. It was well conducted and we are happy with the outcome. There was no violence. Nobody spotted any cheating.

    “Part of our earlier problem was disunity in the party and there were some people who were disrupting the party issues and programme. I believed our people in the PDP in Ondo have learnt their lessons.

    “They are now ready to get power back in the state. I am happy efforts have been made to keep our party in shape. We made our progress as a party in the state after losing power four years ago. You can see the difference.

    “In the last general election, we had two Senators out of three, that means we have two third of the state under our control. That means the remaining part will come on board after the governorship election.”

  • Ondo APC primary: Aspirant braces for indirect primaries

    Ondo APC primary: Aspirant braces for indirect primaries

    Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State have intensified their campaigns to party delegates ahead of the primary election scheduled for next week Monday, July 20.

    A total of 12 aspirants including incumbent Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu are in the race but 11 of the aspirants except the Governor wrote a letter to the APC Caretaker Committee demanding the use of direct mode of primary.

    The aspirants are Chief Olusola Alex Oke, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Ambassador Olusola Iji, Mr. Jimi Odimayo, Hon Isaacs Kekemeke, Bukola Adetula, Jumoke Anifowose, Olayide Adelami, Abraham Segun, Dr. Nat Adojutelega and Akin Akinsehinwa.

    However, the aspirants have changed their campaign tactics to wooing party delegates instead of meeting all party members at their various engagements.

    This, according to sources, was because the Caretaker Committee has not shifted grounds on the mode of primary.

    On Monday, Hon Isaacs Kekemeke sent out 3000 letters he personally signed to 3000 delegates assuring them that he would treat them as an important part of his administration if elected and would not use them for party primary election and later dump them.

    Kekemeke also explained his six cardinal programmes in the letter which included free and compulsory primary and secondary education, quality and affordable health care, food sufficiency amongst others.

    Governor Akeredolu has scheduled to meet with delegates from the three senatorial districts on different days ahead of Monday’s primary.

    Engr. Oyedele who was said to have met with delegates from Ondo South Wednesday said meeting with delegates was the same as meeting all party members.

    He said was part of the preparation but the direct mode of primary is still what they expected to be used.

    READ ALSO: Ondo APC delegates reject rogues status

    Spokesman for Chief Oke, Rotimi Ogunleye, said Chief Oke was in Akoko area to meet with party members and leaders.

    Ogunleye stated that the issue of direct mode of primaries has been settled in the protest letter written by 11 aspirants.

    He said any attempt to hold indirect primaries with party executives would amount to disregard for the APC constitution.

    One of the aspirants who refused to be named said their fears are that APC governors have hijacked the pary and appeared not ready to compromise on the issue of indirect primary mode.

    “The Caretaker Committee is not forth coming and procrastinating on the issue of the mode of primary, the best thing is for us to begin our own work and mobilize to displace the governor because while we were in Abuja, he was busy inducing the delegates. So we are all back home to slug it out with him”.

    Meanwhile, some aspirants especially those from Ondo South were said to have begun jostling to be nominated as running mate to Akeredolu.

    It was gathered that those seeking to be running mate saw the position as a leeway for easy succession in 2024 since the Southern senatorial district would be expected to produce the next Governor if Akeredolu wins.

  • Ondo 2020: APC National Youth leadership endorses Akeredolu

    Ondo 2020: APC National Youth leadership endorses Akeredolu

    Osagie Otabor, Akure

    The National Youth leadership caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has endorsed the second term aspiration of Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    It is a body comprising of all the party’s zonal youth leaders, the National Youth leader, the Deputy National Youth leader, and all state youth leaders of the APC.

    The APC youths endorsed Akeredolu after embarking on two- day tour of projects executed by the Governor in his first term.

    They said they were impressed with the performances of Akeredolu.

    Projects visited included the Oke-Alabojuto road, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo-Linyi Industrial hub at Omotosho, Redemption bridge at Ore amongst others.

    Addressing journalists in Akure, Deputy National Youth Leader of the APC, Hon Afeez Bolaji Repete, said a visit to the project sites would convince every lover of progress that Akeredolu should be supported to complete all he started.

    READ ALSO: Ondo 2020: PDP leaders seek disqualification of Deputy Governor

    Repete said it was the kind heart and commitment of Akeredolu that brought life back to the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, in terms of needed infrastructures.

    According to him: “We saw, and used the Redemption bridge at Ore, and we are very grateful for the initiative.

    “There is no Nigerian who will not appreciate Governor Akeredolu for that bridge, as it is life saving and economically impactful.

    “If the essence of governance is the overall development of the society, and lifting the burden of the people, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has indeed done well.

    “He has done the All Progressives Congress proud. We have seen his vision, we align with it and we as members of the national executives of the party put all our weight and influence in the party behind him as we go into the primary elections.

    “We stand for a better Nigeria, a better Ondo State and to such; we declare total support for the reelection of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to continue as governor of Ondo state for another four years.”

  • Oke urges supporters to ignore report of indirect primaries

    Oke urges supporters to ignore report of indirect primaries

    By Osagie Otabor, Akure

    A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo, Chief Olusola Oke, has urged his supporters to disregard reports that that party has settled for indirect mode of primaries in the state.

    Oke said the report does not represent decision of the National Caretaker Committee of the APC.

    Oke, who spoke through the Director General of his Campaign Organisation, Barr. Kazeem Olanrenwaju, said it was
    the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party that is vested with the power to take decision on the mode of primary election to adopt.

    He stated that it would be made public when such decision has been taken.

    Read Also: Impeachment: Ondo CJ declines to set up panel on Deputy Governor

    Oke said it was not the duty of any government agency, individual or group regardless of their vested interest, to announce the decision on the adopted mode of primary chosen by the APC.

    According to him: “The NEC and the National Caretaker Committee of APC are yet to take decision on the mode of primary to be adopted expectedly, no official information as regards it has been made available to INEC, the public and gubernatorial aspirants on it’s platform yet.

    “It will interest the members of the public to know that the screening committee set up by the National Caretaker Committee asked all the aspirants so far screened the mode of primary (direct or indirect) they will prefer. All the aspirants except one are unanimous in their demand for direct mode of primary election.

    “We therefore call on our supporters, party members and members of the public to disregard the news. It was purposely planted to test the resolve of the members of the party and create confusion in Ondo APC.”

  • Ondo 2020: Support swells for Oyedele

    Ondo 2020: Support swells for Oyedele

    Osagie Otabor, Bénin

    Youths and women of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State have vowed to mobilise votes for Executive Director in charge of Engineering and Technical Services at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyededele.

    Speaking under the auspices of Ondo APC Youth and Women for Positive Change (OSAYWPT), the group explained that their support for Engr. Oyedele was because of his campaign promises.

    The group promised to deliver votes from all the 18 Local Governments areas for Engr. Oyedele at both the party primaries and general elections.

    It said the opinion poll conducted by the Integrity Group in Ondo State APC was won by Engr. Oyedele who secured 51% to lead other APC governorship aspirants.

    Coordinator of OSAYWPT, Olotu Oluwasanmi, who spoke at a press briefing said Oyedele has proffered solutions to all the challenges facing Ondo State.

    READ ALSO: Ondo 2020: Why APC Unity Forum is in disarray

    Oluwasanmi listed the challenges facing Ondo State to include gross unemployment across the 18 Local Governments, nepotism, disunity in the ruling party in the state, sectionalism, lack of access to essential health services, infrastructural decay, and poor educational system.

    His words, “Engineer Ifeoluwa Oyedele has vowed to create massive jobs for the youth across the 18 Local Governments in Ondo State and also said that he has genuine plans to revive the moribund industries in the state in order to boost the internally generated revenue.

    “He has listed over 50 different programs for the development of Ondo State and this is unprecedented in the history of our state.

    “We also aware that he has perfected plans on how to transform the state Agricultural sector, workers’ welfare, infrastructural development, patronizing indigenous contractors among others.”

  • Ondo 2020: Former SSG recants PDP’s electoral victory claim

    Ondo 2020: Former SSG recants PDP’s electoral victory claim

    By Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Immediate past Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde, has recanted his claims that the People’s Democratic Party won the 2016 governorship elections.

    Abegunde resigned on Monday and in a statement he made in a radio interview said Akeredolu did not win the election that brought him to power.

    He claimed that some powerful forces arm twisted INEC to announce Akeredolu as winner.

    But addressing journalists Tuesday, Agegunde explained that the people and not Akeredolu won the election for the APC.

    Abegunde said he has been working for Akeredolu since 2012 because Chief Bola Tinubu asked him to do so

    He said he would support the governorship ambition of Dr. Olusegun Abraham.

    The former SSG stated that he begged Akeredolu to appease all aggrieved party chieftains and operate a government with human face but he was ignored.

    READ ALSO: UPDATED: Ondo 2020: PDP disqualifies two, clears 7 guber aspirants

    He said, “At this point, moving forward in my political career, I want to announce that I have made up my mind after consulting with my followers that we are going to pitch our tent with one of the aspirants, who I believe would lift the state up from this mare that it’s currently in. He’s no other person than Dr. Olusegun Abraham.

    “I want to use this medium to urge my teaming supporters and progressive lovers in the state to begin to canvas, campaign and support Dr. Olusegun Abraham. I strongly believe that God would crown him the next governor of Ondo State.

    “I wish to reiterate that at no time did I say that the PDP won the 2016 election. That’s far from the truth. If at all the APC won with a wide margin so that the PDP thought it fruitless to join issues on it at the court of law.

    “However, I only stressed that it was a steady and concerted efforts of our loyal party stalwarts of which I was prominent that won that election.

    “You know, we all contested election in 2016. It’s that election that brought the present governor to power.

    “I said Governor Akeredolu was not the one that won the election, that we the people won the election for him. That we contributed all our efforts. At the end of the day, he thought it wise, thinking that he owns the government. And he’s now using the government for himself, his family and his associates.”

  • Akeredolu to ex-SSG: I didn’t give contract to my in-laws

    Akeredolu to ex-SSG: I didn’t give contract to my in-laws

    Osagie Otabor, Akure

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has denied allegations by the former Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde, that he gave all contracts in the state to his in-laws.

    Akeredolu said it was the former SSG pervasive acts that hounded him and others out of his administration.

    Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Ojo Oyewamide, Governor Akeredol, said there was no single road contractor of Igbo extraction.

    Akeredolu said documentations relating to contracts execution were not hidden.

    His words: “This is far from the truth. Aside the temptation to dismiss this unsubstantiated claim by the facilitators of the imaginary scenario, the fact that such was coming from those whose pervasive acts have haunded them out of government is enough to ignore the story.

    READ ALSO: Why I resigned from Akeredolu’s govt, by ex-SSG

    :However, it is pertinent to aver that there is no single road contractor of Igbo extraction. Anyone with evidence of such should kindly avail the public of same.

    “Documentations relating to contracts execution are not hidden. They are public and therefore, subject to public scrutiny. All road contractors in the State are well known and have nothing to hide.

    “Mr. Governor therefore, urges all and sundry to ignore the stories coming from those who thrice on falsehood and fabricated stories to take political decisions.”