APC woos aggrieved Ondo governorship aspirants

The All Progressives Congress (APC) suggested an all-inclusive government on Thursday to address Ondo State’s post-governorship primary crisis.

The National Working Committee (NWC) proposed measures of reconciliation that included reorganizing the State Executive Council and appointing a caretaker committee to represent various interests in local administration.

During a reconciliation meeting held on Thursday at the national secretariat in Abuja, it was learnt that the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, urged the candidates who lost the gubernatorial primary last week to collaborate with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to secure the party’s victory in the November election.

However, sources indicated that the NWC rejected the request from two of the former aspirants to cancel the shadow election.

According to a party insider, Aiyedatiwa attended Thursday’s meeting along with fourteen other primary contenders. They are Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Wale Akinterinwa, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), Okunjimi Odimayo, Olugbenga Edema, Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Iyantan, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, and Judith Omogoroye.

Midway into the meeting, Akinterinwa, who had not arrived at first, showed up.

The only person not there was Isaacs Kekemeke, the National Vice Chairman for the Southwest.

The Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo-led Governorship Primary Committee, announced Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the direct primary last weekend.

Five candidates have sent their appeals to the Governorship Appeal Committee, pointing out anomalies and requesting that the party annul the results and hold new elections.

The insider provided insight into the reconciliation meeting’s events by stating that no aspirant asked Aiyedatiwa to agree to any particular demands in exchange for a ceasefire.

He claimed that many consented to work toward the candidate’s and the party’s election success after NWC members begged them to lay down their swords.

But two suggested that the primary should be called off because of some irregularities.

The source hinted that the NWC has decided to keep interacting with the disgruntled aspirants.