A few days before the party’s primary, a group within the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, known as Asiwaju Mandate Group, appealed to the governorship aspirants of the party to display good sportsmanship spirit during and after the party’s primary on Saturday.
The group which claimed to be neutral to all aspirants also urged them to support whoever wins the primary, for the sake of the party’s unity and to avoid dividing the party after losing the primary, to enable the party to win the November 16 governorship election.
PUNCH Online reports that the APC would be holding its governorship primary on Saturday, April 20 while the screening committee of the party had cleared all the 16 aspirants that would be participating in the primary.
The aspirants that would be contesting for the party’s ticket in the primary include, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, Prof Francis Faduyile, Mr Isaacs Kekemeke, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Mr Gbenga Edema, and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.
Others are, Mr Jimi Odimayo, Brig. Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye (retd), Mr Diran Iyantan, Engnr. Ife Oyedele, Mr Soji Ehinlawo, Mrs Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo , Mr Morayo Lebi, and Mrs Funke Omogoroye .
In a statement issued, on Tuesday, by the Director General of the AMG, Evang. Olumuyiwa Asagunla, the group called on all card-carrying members of the APC that will be voting in the primary to put the interest and the success of the party on the front burner ahead of personal gains and gratifications.
According to him, the choice of the best candidate in the primary would guarantee easy success in the forthcoming governorship election, hence the need for all stakeholders to work together.
Asagunla said, “We believe in the sanctity of the party’s supremacy and the spirit of fairness and equity and the group will not be endorsing any of the aspirants for the primary election.
“Members of AMG that will be voting in the primary election are to make capacity and acceptability their watchword in the choice of aspirant to vote for knowing fully well that a good choice of the party’s candidate will guarantee an easy victory for the party in the general election.
“We charge all the aspirants to remember that the party is larger than any one of them and as such should go into the primary election as brothers from one family. They should also know that there can’t be two candidates at the end of the contest and as such, when a winner emerges, all other aspirants should, in the spirit of sportsmanship work with the candidate so that the party will be victorious in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.”
The group said it would remain neutral in the choice of candidate in the primary election, believing that all the aspirants can lead the state and are no newbies in governance and administration.
