- “Don’t leave APC after announcement of Consensus”, Aiyedatiwa urges Aspirants
The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially announced a consensus arrangement for its primary elections during a stakeholders meeting held yesterday in Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of the State.
The meeting, led by Hon. Kolawole Babatunde under the leadership of the state governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, saw the attendance of top leaders and stakeholders from the Ondo-South Senatorial District.
For some time now, Starnews NG reports that unconfirmed reports of this consensus arrangement had circulated on social media, but the party didn’t provide a formal directive until the leadership of the party through the state Chairman broke the news during the stakeholders meeting in Ondo-South on Sunday.
Leaders, elders, and stakeholders from the six local governments within the senatorial district convened to discuss the way forward and endorsed the consensus approach for the upcoming primaries.
Among the attendees were Chief Olusola Oke, various leaders and elders from the six local governments, and all aspirants contesting for political positions ranging from the House of Assembly to the Senate.
Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasised the need for party unity, stating that all members must work together for the party’s success, both before and after the preferred candidate emerges through the consensus process.
He urged aspirants to remain steadfast within the party, regardless of the outcome of the primaries, highlighting the significance of collective interest.
“I am aware that many of you have individual ambitions whether for the State House of Assembly or the National Assembly but there is a paramount collective goal, and that is the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. I therefore urge you to remain loyal and committed to the party, whether you win or not. There is always a time for everyone. Only one person can emerge at a time.”
Reflecting on his own political journey, Aiyedatiwa recounted moments of disappointment, including previous attempts to secure a House of Representatives seat and a Senate nomination. He noted, “There was a time I contested for the House of Representatives and did not get it. I also contested for the Senate; although I won the primary election conducted in the state, the party’s national leadership later granted an automatic ticket to the incumbent. Yet, I did not leave the party.”
He added, “In 2016, I was shortlisted for the deputy governorship ticket but was not eventually selected. Still, I remained a committed member. Today, I am the governor. So, there is time for everyone.”
The Ondo State Chairman of the APC, Babatunde Kolawole, welcomed all stakeholders and commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his impactful projects and programmes throughout the state. He urged party members and residents to continue cooperating to sustain the administration’s developmental strides.
The announcement of a consensus arrangement is expected to foster unity and collaborative efforts among party members as they prepare for the upcoming elections.
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