Ondo Poll: Olusola Oke collapses structure for Gov Aiyedatiwa 

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Olusola Oke, a major aspirant in the last governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, has declared his support for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ahead of the November 16 election.

Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, announced in a statement on Thursday that Mr. Oke has merged his political structure with Aiyedatiwa’s campaign. This was revealed during a meeting with Oke’s political associates and followers at his residence in Akure.

Mr. Oke stated that despite pressure to challenge the outcome of the April 20 primary in court, he prioritized party unity and victory in the upcoming gubernatorial election.

“I am not an emergency politician. I have campaigned for governorship in this State four times and I have all it takes to be Governor. I did everything I needed to do in the primary but the rest is now history. I had various options and my supporters were ready to follow any action I took. But the peace, unity, and development of this State are paramount to me. 

“We must march forward in one accord into the coming election. Our strength lies in our unity. This is not the time to discriminate; this is the time to bring everyone on board for the good of our party. The governor is my brother from Ilaje and I want Ilaje to produce the next Governor. Since it won’t be me, it should be him. We are going to win the election together”, Mr Oke said.

APC Chairman Engr. Ade Adetimehin praised Mr. Oke and his supporters for openly declaring their support for Governor Aiyedatiwa, noting that this move resolves any lingering issues within the party.

Governor Aiyedatiwa thanked Mr. Oke and his supporters for endorsing his candidacy, calling the event a sign of the APC’s impending victory in the upcoming governorship election.

The governor was joined at the event by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, and other top government officials and party leaders.

Reaffirming that the APC remains a united family despite individual ambitions and differences, Governor Aiyedatiwa declared that there are no longer any factions within the party and promised to foster unity among all members.

He said: “I bear no grudge against anybody. Nobody has offended me. All you did during the primary was to demonstrate your democratic freedom. There was no crime in it. It was a normal procedure. All members of the party, irrespective of who they supported during the primary, remain members of the same family. Now that we have a flag-bearer, let us all work together for the victory of our party.”

The governor praised Mr. Oke as a big brother and a man of integrity, highlighting his leadership qualities and loyalty to the APC’s common good.

In support of the governor, Mr. Oke’s associate, Chief Olabisi Johnson, donated his house in Ondo as a campaign office for the party.