Ganduje, APC govs woo aggrieved aspirants for Aiyedatiwa

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, governors and party leaders at various levels were in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Sunday, to galvanise support for its governorship candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November 16 election.

At the meeting, which was attended by Aiyedatiwa and aspirants with whom he contested the APC ticket, Ganduje appealed to those still aggrieved to shelve their misgivings over the party ticket and work together to achieve “90 per cent victory in the election.”

Alongside Ganduje on the visit were the National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the APC, Mr Isaacs Kekemeke; the governors of Ekiti and Lagos states, Abiodun Oyebamiji and Babajide Sanwo-Olu respectively, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, among others.

Some of the aspirants had, after losing out on the governorship ticket, distanced themselves from Aiyedatiwa’s campaign in the state.

Addressing the party members in Akure, Ganduje urged them to work together to achieve victory at the forthcoming poll.

He declared the Ondo election victory as a task for all party members.

“Our mission is to assure you that our party is solidly behind you, that the party at the national level is behind you.

“We are here to give you hope, to encourage you, to make you feel that this election is a task that must be done. We are so encouraged that there is unity in this party, especially when you invited all aspirants, there is no victor no vanquish in the primary. This is a win-win situation. This is a big achievement.

“I’m expecting 90 per cent victory in this election. Make sure you know those who are supposed to vote in your units. You must be involved in a house-to-house campaign. We are strategising, we must have 100 per cent states of the South West, beginning from Ondo State.”

Earlier, Sanwo-Olu called on party leaders to unite as the election approaches.

He appealed to all party members, particularly all the aggrieved ones, to work for the victory of the APC  in the forthcoming poll.

“I am happy for the turnout. If we come together, we will win. We are going to an election, we need everyone in this election, that is why I brought everyone together, to come and appeal to you. More than 85 per cent of the votes we must get,” Sanwo-Olu urged.

Similarly, Oyebamiji urged members to ensure the APC retained the Sunshine State.

“The November 16 election is a deciding moment in the history of our state; the victory is achievable, and we have a duty to ensure the achievement of Akeredolu is not reversed. We must keep Ondo State in the progressive circle. Coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” Oyebamiji charged.

In his remarks, the Senate Leader, Bamidele, urged the party to integrate all the aggrieved members to foster unity ahead of the forthcoming election.

Bamidele said,  “I want to say that the true heroes are the aspirants. I beg you in the name of God. This is actually the President’s election. Make them (aggrieved aspirants) relevant, and integrate them.

“This reconciliation continues after the election because the PDP doesn’t have a candidate, after the election, he (Agboola Ajayi) is still coming back.”

One of the former aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, said all the 15 aspirants had agreed to work for Aiyedatiwa to ensure the opposition party did not take over the state.

“All the 16 aspirants, except one, have resolved to settle and agree to work with the candidate of our party. We believe that we should not allow the state to slip into opposition,” Oke said.

Other former aspirants at the reconciliation meeting included Kekemeke, Wale Akinterinwa and Mrs Oladunni Odu.

One of the aggrieved aspirants, Mr Gbenga Edema, has left the party to join the Nigeria National Peoples Party, where he emerged governorship candidate.