All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Ondo State, including the incumbent Lucky Aiyedatiwa, yesterday took their battle to Abuja, ending up in a brief exchange of words ahead of next Saturday’s primary election.

Aiyedatiwa had fired the first salvo, declaring there was no vacancy in the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure.

He was sworn in on December 27, 2023 in succession to the late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Business mogul and one of the leading aspirants for the APC ticket, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, dismissed the governor’s statement as a huge joke.

“He is out of that place by the time we finish primary next week; he is gone and there is nothing virtually he can do about it,” the Senator from Ondo South added.

Another leading aspirant, Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), said Aiyedatiwa could say whatever he liked, but he (Oke) would take office as the next governor of the state.

The trio and other aspirants were at the APC National Secretariat for screening by the seven-man committee set up for that purpose by the party.

The committee is headed by Senator Joshua Lidani.

Emerging from his interview with the panel which lasted about 30 minutes, Aiyedatiwa exuded optimism about his chances in the primary election.

Beaming with smiles, the governor said: “My screening has just been done this morning and all documents that were submitted had to be verified and questions asked where some were not too clear to the screening committee.

“Questions were asked and answered and at the end of the day, I have been cleared that there are no issues, especially the issue that has to do with the certificate that a petition was written.

“Today, that has been put to rest. My certificates are genuine and authentic. I think it’s just a kind of mischief by some other aspirants who find me to be the aspirant to beat trying to look for a way to discredit my person. But that has been verified and put to rest.”

The governor, who said he bore no grudge against anyone, advised his political opponents to repent and go to the field rather than looking for fault where there was none.

“I just want to advise them to repent and try to go to the field and work. If they are interested in the seat, and the seat is not even vacant, that is why they’re trying to do all that they are doing,” he said.

Confronted moments later about the governor’s ‘no vacancy’ statement, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, said: “He’s joking. It is a big joke. He can’t continue in government with P8, P7.

“The governor is joking; a big joke, a huge joke he is cracking with you. He is out of that place by the time we finish primary next week; he is gone and there is nothing virtually he can do about it.

“I don’t normally go against people. To me, clear everybody, let them go for primary, let the electorate determine. I have won the election as senator, I won in six of the six local governments, 65 of the 66 wards, with 111,677 votes against Agboola Ajayi’s 60,000 votes.

“What is the governor talking about? This governor has never won an election. He contested for the House of Representatives, he didn’t win one local government; just two local governments, he couldn’t even win one.

“He was paired with Aketi, we didn’t vote for him, we voted for Aketi. But I can assure you, the governor is a huge joker.”

On his part, Chief Oke described Aiyedatiwa’s statement as “a mere wish and desire”.

He added: “It’s an aphorism from all incumbent persons. I heard this one in Lagos when (Akinwunmi) Ambode was there. Ambode said ‘no vacancy.’

“He had to leave when he needed to leave. It’s a statement of wish and desire by the governor and it’s a statement that is intended to undermine a democratic exercise.

“If we are going to primaries and the people will have to determine, how would anybody have the guts to say there is no vacancy?

“There is no vacancy between now and February next year, no doubt. But after February, his one-year term will be exhausted and then there’ll be a vacancy.

“I don’t intend to take over from him before the expiration of his one year in office. So, the essence of this exercise is that there will be a vacancy after one one-year term and that he or somebody else will occupy the seat.

“Having regard to my wide contact with the people, I believe that I’m succeeding him.”

Oke hailed the screening committee for diligently performing its assignment and said: “They have done their job the way they ought to do it. I had no reason to anticipate even before the screening that anything would come up.

“I am a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and I have no certificates issue. Their own is merely to confirm what we have claimed. I’ve been a member of the National Assembly. They won’t deny me that. I’ve been a national officer of a political party, and they will not dispute that.

“So everything that I’ve given in my forms is true to the facts. I know no screening committee can disqualify that in the first place. But they’ve done their job thoroughly diligently, and I like that.”

APC group accuses Aiyedatiwa of printing fake membership slip

A group in APC – Ondo Vanguards for Good Governance – yesterday alleged plot by Governor Aiyedatiwa to manipulate the party primary by producing fake membership register and cards ahead of the primary.

The group claimed that fake membership slips of the APC have been printed for onward distribution to persons who are not members of the party.

Coordinator of the group, Evangelist Tade Ojo, said in Akure that Aiyedatiwa’s supporters had seen the handwriting on the wall about his imminent defeat hence their resort to self help.

He pleaded with APC leaders to ensure a level playing ground for all the contestants to avoid hurting the chances of the party in the November election and meeting “the desire of the good people of Ondo State for a new lease of life through purposeful leadership and good governance.”

He added: “Ondo State is larger than all of us, including Governor Ayedatiwa. We are convinced that they are prepared to spill the milk, if they cannot have it.”

In his reaction, spokesman for the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers (LACO-FS), Kayode Fasua, said the allegations were made by faceless people sponsored by ‘jittery aspirants ‘.

“The primary election is an internal affair of the APC and the party leadership is independent of government. Before the party, all aspirants, including the governor, are equal in treatment; regarding campaigns and the internal electoral process.

“Therefore, Governor Aiyedatiwa or his supporters are far removed from this lie of printing fake membership cards, as alleged by jittery aspirants hiding behind fingers.

“Again, the allegation of the governor unleashing terror or destroying billboards is trite and unappealing to the public because the police have never for once heard of such complaint much less arrest anyone.

“They should go drink some water and sleep for their enviously frayed nerves. Hardworking Governor Aiyedatiwa has overtaken them.” (The Nation, but headline rejigged)

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