Ondo guber race: Gov Aiyedatiwa officially seeks APC ticket

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday, officially threw his hat into the ring for the upcoming gubernatorial election. In a well-attended ceremony at the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade in Akure, Aiyedatiwa declared his intention to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) party primaries slated for April 24th.

The Governor, who assumed office in December 2023 following the demise of his predecessor, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, received a significant boost with endorsements from key figures within the party. A statement from the Ondo State House of Assembly confirmed the backing of all 18 lawmakers, while Representative Abiola Makinde, representing Ondo East/Ondo West federal constituency, declared the endorsement of all the state’s National Assembly members on behalf of the House of Representatives.

Aiyedatiwa’s formal declaration was graced by some elders and leaders of the Ondo State APC, including former Ondo North Senatorial District senator, Ajayi Boroffice; a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Abiola Makinde, members of the state House of Assembly, representatives of the State Working Committee of the party, among others.

Speaking at the event, Aiyedatiwa said he sought to retain the governorship seat to continue from where his late principal stopped, particularly in the area of welfare of the people, infrastructural development and security of the state.

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He said, “Distinguished citizens and party faithful, I must reecho what our late leader had always wished for in his lifetime. It was his wish that I succeed him, not in death though, as the next governor of the state.

“He (Akeredolu) was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretense and so he expressed this wish at different fora in both public and private. All was with one conviction and implicit confidence in me to carry on the torch of accelerated development which he lighted first in 2017 and later renewed under a joint ticket for both of us in the 2021 gubernatorial election.

“My dear people of Ondo State, the gubernatorial primary election is at hand. Your vote is a potent weapon that must be wisely used. We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this state with muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers, who once governed this state, handed to our generation.”

While Aiyedatiwa has secured early endorsements, the APC primaries are expected to be competitive. Other potential contenders within the party have yet to declare their intentions publicly. The Governor’s performance during his short time in office and his campaign strategy in the coming weeks will be key factors in determining his success in securing the party’s nomination.

This development marks the official beginning of the race for Ondo State’s governorship position, with the November 16th election looming large. All eyes will be on Aiyedatiwa’s campaign and how his rivals within the APC respond to his early show of force.

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