The candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Rotimi Akeredolu in this weekend’s governorship election in Ondo State, received a major boost following an endorsement from the Afenifere Renewal Group.
The group said Akeredolu “is the best man for the job.”
Shortly after paying a courtesy visit to Akeredolu in Lagos to endorse him, the Chairman, ARG, Wale Oshun said the group has always kept its tradition of endorsing the most competent candidates in all elections held in the South Western part of the country.
“Certainly, we are here to endorse him. Barrister Akeredolu has been one of us, he is one of us, he is an activist, a tested progressive and he strongly believes in the welfarist principles of the founders of the Afenifere.
“What is important at this stage is that he is the one that believes in the ideology of the political philosophy of yorubaland, one that believes in the principle that had been laid down by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“He is not just claiming it, we can identify and affirm it. He had been one of us and his party had deemed it fit to allow him to run as the candidate and because he is the best in the circumstance to rule the state . We believe we should give him our open support,” he said.
Oshun said, “we have played this critical role in many elections held in South-Western Nigeria and we believe this should not be an exception. And we wish him well and we are praying for him. He has worked hard and we hope almighty God will answer our prayers for him.”
The ARG leader said given the fact that the position of a state governor was a highly exalted position, there was bound to be a stern opposition in the race, urging the electorate to use their votes to install the best candidate as their governor.
He said the APC was already providing purposeful leadership in the states they were ruling in the region, saying “that is why we will want to have APC added in Ondo State to the four we have before in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo States.”
Speaking, Akeredolu said his party was working as one political family in the state to clinch victory in the gubernatorial polls scheduled to hold on Saturday.
He said contrary to insinuation that some chieftains shunned his mega rally, they were working together.
“All of us in APC are working together now. We are all working together as a party. Even Segun Abraham has come out to ask his supporters to come and work for APC. He said so without mincing words that he has not left APC. The only thing he said which he has a right to it is that he has a matter in court and it’s alright. The only any judgment in that regard can bring forth any fruit is for APC to win general election. He is with us.
“The only person, for instance, who left is Olusola Oke and was never a member of our party. He came after we had election for President Muhammadu Buhari . He just rushed in thinking he can capitalize on the use of money to swing people to his side when he failed, he decided to opt out. And he went to another party.
“Somebody who spent 16 years in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , 16 years as a conservative cannot one day wake up and become a progressive. It is not possible. So he had to opt out of the progressive group to be on his own. He is the only person that left, no other person joined him,” he said.
On the rally supposedly shunned by APC chieftains, Akeredolu said: “I have said we are together and am sure we are still together. Governor Abiola Ajimobi still called me yesterday. He came back into the country yesterday , his deputy was with us at the rally. The deputy came. We also heard information that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still abroad attending to his health and I don’t believe that because people are not there that they are not part of the party.”