The National Chairman of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Thursday pleaded with all aggrieved aspirants in thHelpston Saturday Ondo governorship primary election to join hands and work with Governor Lucky Ayiedatiwa.
Aiyedatiwa was declared winner of the shadow election by the Governor Usman Ododo-led seven-man primary election committee on Sunday.
Speaking at a reconciliatory meeting with all the aspirants at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Ganduje said it would be in the interest of the State to remain in the progressive family.
In attendance at the peace meeting at the NWC Hall of the party, were Governor Aiyedatiwa; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; Chief Olusola Oke (SAN); Prof Francis Faduyile; Dr Funmi Waheed-Adekojo, Dr Soji Ehinlanwo, Akinfolarin Samuel, Okunjimi Odimayo, Olugbenga Edema, Gen Ohunyeye Olamide, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Iyanjan, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Judith Omogoroye and Hon. Wale Akinterinwa.
Only former National Vice Chairman (South West), Hon. Isaacs Kekemeke was absent at the meeting that lasted for more than two hours.
Ganduje appealed to them to put the election behind them and forge a strong force ahead of the November poll.
He said: “Since we are all democrats, we should be used to ups and down of politics. The purpose of this dialogue is to appeal to you. This dialogue is not to dwell on what has happened, or what did not happens, what is correct and what is not correct during the primary.
“If we dwell on that, it would lead to what we can call too much analysis which will lead to paralysis. Our own is to appeal to you. The party belongs to you and only you.
“Our prayers is that our party should be the ruling party in Ondo state. It’s already a ruling. Our prayers is for it to continue to be a ruling party in Ondo state.”
Citing his case, he said, “We are all practitioners in this game. I recall that I contested for the governorship of my state in 1999, I lost . I couldn’t become Governor until 16 years after. So, I cannot call you lost aspirants. You are aspirants that would be successful tomorrow,” he stressed.
Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Duro Meseko said the meeting successfully arrived at two conclusions.
“It was agreed at the meeting that because of the outcome of the primaries and the complaints that trailed the outcome of the primaries by some of the aspirants, there is the need for the party to continue dialogue with all the aspirants individually and collectively in order to be able to have a common ground for the forthcoming election in the state to be able to work together as a united family.
“It was also agreed that Governor Aiyedatiwa should immediately work towards instituting what is called an inclusive government in the state by involving all the other aspirants, of course most of the aspirants will not be able to participate in his government but they have people that will participate, should allow them to make inputs, he should work with them in order to be able to move the state forward.”
Ondo APC chairman, Ade Adetimehin said: “As said by the DNPS, after two hours of deliberations, we agreed on the two points. We agreed that the all inclusive governance must commence immediately. Ondo is APC state. We won all the Senate seats, 8 out of 9 House of Represebtatives and 22 out of 26 state house of assembly members.
“Only Isaac Kekemeke, member of NWC who was also an aspirant was absent with permission that he had a function earlier scheduled before the meeting. It was not a situation of shunning the meeting because he called to inform our national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje that he would not be available for the meeting. So, our deliberations are fruitful with almost all the aspirants including our Governor in attendance.”
