Ondo 2024: I will work with all the aggrieved aspirants – Governor Aiyedatiwa

The governor of Ondo State and official winner of the April 20 governorship primary election of All Progressives Congress (APC), Lucky Aiyedatiwa has promised to work with all the aggrieved aspirants in the just concluded primaries, if he wins the November 16 governorship election.

The Governor made the promise on Monday after obtaining the Certificate of Returns, presented to him by the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, at the party secretariat in Abuja.

CAPITAL POST recalls that Aiyedatiwa was declared the winner of the primary election having defeated 15 other aspirants.

According to the Chairman of the primary election committee, Usman Ododo, Aiyedatiwa amassed 48,569 votes to defeat his closest rival Mayowa Akinfolarin who polled 15,343 votes in the election. Olusola Oke’s 14,865 votes got him the third position.

The outcome of the election has since been trailed with a series of petitions from aggrieved aspirants who described the exercise as a sham and daylight robbery.

Following the reconciliatory meeting between the aspirants and the leadership of the party last week, the APC National Working Committee (NWC), advised that the governor ensure inclusivity especially with all the aggrieved aspirants.

Aiyedatiwa however promised to keep to his part of the bargain by considering their interest in appointments yet to be made in the state.

“An inclusive government, yes, like I told them during that meeting, that there are some appointments that have not been made that will soon be announced. And we’re looking at that, and that was why I said issues have been resolved, while consultation continues.”

Speaking on petition filed by some of the aspirants, the governor said while consultation is still ongoing, the issues around the petition has been resolved, thus the presentation of Certificate of Returns to him.

“Let me say this that immediately after the primaries and the return of the winner, there are some of the aspirants that were aggrieved because of their opinion that there were irregularities in some of the wards and this led to setting up of the appeal committee.

“Petitions were submitted quite alright, I think about two or three of them, but we have been talking, consultation have been on, the national working committee under the leadership of the party invited all of us to plead for peace and cooperation which majority of them accepted.

“During that very meeting I can tell you amongst the 15 of us present, about 11 at that moment agreed that it is over with, that a winner or a flag bearer has emerged.

“And the other three we have been talking, and we have been relating, and that was what has led to the final report of the Appeal Committee that was submitted and adopted by the National Working Committee.

“That is to tell you that issues have been resolved, even though consultation continues.”the governor stated.