We’ve put the past behind us, Akeredolu tells Oke

Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday said his victory in the November 26, 2016 election was an act of God.

He said the former governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), is his closest friend, adding that the past acrimony between them was the handiwork of their detractors.

The governor enthused that the political face-off had ended as APC, which he called a large family, would give sufficient room for everybody to occupy.

Akeredolu urged party members to demonstrate love and unity in the interest of the party and the development of the state.

Oke and other AD leaders, including his running mate, Ganny Dauda, as well as former Transportation Commissioner Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, former state lawmaker Akin Adeniyi, the 2016 governorship candidate of Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), among others, were received into the APC by Acting Chairman Ade Adetimehin with support from Governor Akeredolu.

Oke, who is former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), left the APC after the September 3, 2016 primary election.

He hinged his exit from APC on alleged irregularities in the primary, which produced Akeredolu as the party’s flagbearer.

But APC’s Acting Chairman Adetimehin said the primary election was free, fair and credible.

Addressing defectors, Adetimehin said: “Permit me to state categorically here that the historic primary election that returned the incumbent governor of the state as the APC governorship candidate, was free, fair and credible.

“It was keenly contested and there was no doctored list of delegates to favour the winner, nor was there voting by non-accredited or fictitious delegates, as espoused by some divides of the party after the primaries.

“The widely publicised and orchestrated rumour of foul play during the exercise was a mere fabrication, distortion of fact and a figment of imagination of some overzealous supporters and agents of destabilisation, who were pursing selfish agenda.”

The acting chairman noted that the crisis and what he called anti-party activities that followed the primary were the result of “clueless and undisciplined” actions of former leadership of the party.

He blamed the former leadership of the party for allowing the situation to degenerate into an absurdity.

According to him, the current party leaders will never allow political reckless to occur in APC again.

Adetimehin applauded APC’s national leadership for building bridges and filling the gaps to build a strong and virile party in the state.

Akeredolu said there was enough room for everyone to return to the party, adding that anyone who expresses the willingness to return would be accommodated.

He said: “Sola is here today; he knows how close we are. He knows me and I know him very well. We should love each other.

“We are supposed to be united. Nobody can do it alone. The position we are today is by the grace of God. We don’t know how to do it. Don’t let anybody boast; it just pleases God.

“We should forget about the past because there is no how we will not offend each other, if we are aspiring for the same position. But we have resolved our differences.”

Oke said he led his followers into the party to reload the APC.

The lawyer said he was ready to give total loyalty to the party.

He expressed appreciation to APC’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola for their interest in the progress of the party.

At the ceremony were APC leaders, including Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi and other top government officials, as well as Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Senators Titus Olupitan and Gbenga Ogunniya.

Also, a chieftain of the APC and senator representing Ondo North, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, lauded the return of Oke and his supporters to the progressives.

In a statement by his Media Officer, Kayode Fakuyi, the senator expressed delight that his laudable efforts and those of other party leaders to woo politicians from other parties to the APC had started yielding positive results.

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