*I will defeat my deputy in his LG, Gov. boasts
By Ezeocha Nzeh
Executive governor of Ondo state, Oluwarotim Akeredolu appeared before the All Progressives Congress (APC) appeals committee on Monday to answer charges brought against him two aspirants who appealed against his emergence as the Party’s candidate for the October 19 governorship election in Ondo state
Akeredolu emerged winner of the APC governorship primary which was conducted in Azure ofJuly 20
Speaking to reporters after appealing before the committee, Governor Akeredolu I upheld the right of the aspirants to seek amy perceived redress at the appeals committee, noting however that they must ensure they provide prove for their allegations
I am here at the party Secretariat because people lodged an appeal against my election and emergence from the party primary and that is why I came around to answer to the appeals. I was told that two aspirants had approached the committee to file two appeals against me and my mission here is to reply to the appeals.
“If some of them claim that the process that produced me is fraudulent, they have right to make such claims, but they should take it to the Appeal Committee and I will respond to it. They have to prove their claims before the committee and until they prove and convincingly before the Appeal Committee, then I don’t need to talk about their claims.
The Governor who disclosed that he has begun the process of reconciling with all aggrieved stakeholders of the party in the state also appreciated the efforts of the party’s reconconcilition committee in ensuring that peace returns to the party ahead of the election
“As you would have noted in my speech where I made it clear that to ensure that I reach out to all the aspirants that contested with me. I have already been to the houses of few of them. I am meeting with the leaders to call stakeholders meeting for us to move ahead on this matter. I believe that there must be reconciliation and good enough that the committee headed by the Niger state governor is making great effort to ensure that there is genuine reconciliation. I am ready for it. I want people to come so that we can reconcile and work together.”
On the threat from the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Eyitayo Jegede, and the deputy governor , Agboola Ajayi, the governor, who expressed confidence that he would win the governorship election, stated that he would defeat his deputy in his local government area
“For me, the deputy leaving the APC to return to the PDP is good radiance to bad rubbish. We thought we could accommodate him at the APC but since he returned to where he truly belong, it is all well and good. I always wish people the best I can.
“From what I have been told, he has lost the ticket and I pray he won’t jump to another place but if he does, all well and good. However, for his own sake and as a big brother, I will advice him to stay with Jegede, and support him very well.
He has made a case that he helped me to win, let him help Jegede to win and we will confirm that he is popular.
“What I know is that he is of no importance, he has no hold on any local government, I can assure you that come the election, I will defeat him in his local government and he will never recover from it.
“Jegede is my friend. We are colleagues and both members of inner bar, I don’t have anything against him and I just prayed that our campaign should be issue based without violence and I know that he knows that it will not be easy for him. Yes, it may not be easy for me too, but by His Grace, I am going to win. I can assure that as it was in the beginning, so it shall be now and forever more. We will win this election by the grace of God.”
