The cracks within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State appear to be widening with the conspicuous absence of notable aspirants for the governorship ticket of the party at a meeting called at the instance of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Monday.

This is just as Ayedatiwa declared at the APC stakeholders meeting, held at the International Event Centre, Dome that the state governor’s seat is not currently vacant, urging party members to come together as one united family.

Addressing APC stakeholders, Aiyedatiwa said, “We must all come together as one family to work together for the progress of our party, knowing for sure this is an election here for us.

“An election to the office of the governor of Ondo state, even though the seat is not vacant currently. Let us work together In oneness and in peace so that our party, APC will continue to govern this state,” he added.

However, a member of the state APC executive, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said all the aspirants shunned the meeting because the meeting was called personally by Ayedatiwa who failed to route it through the party leadership.

He said, “Most of the aspirants shunned the meeting because it was not a party affair and most of the party executive were personally invited by the Governor not the party leadership.”

It was however observed that major governorship aspirants, including Olusola Oke, Isaacs Kekemeke, Wale Akinterinwa, Jimi Odimayo, Jimoh Ibrahim, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Olamide Ohunyeye, among others were absent at the stakeholders meeting.

Speaking on his absence, Chief Olusola Oke said he would have loved to attend the meeting but said the invitation to the meeting was sent to him through his mobile phone around 2:30 am on Monday.

He stated that the invitation was sent late while he was in Abuja, saying there was no way to have travelled down to Akure to attend a meeting slated for 11 am while he left Akure for Abuja around 3 pm on Sunday.

Oke said, “I got the invitation around 2:30 am in the middle of the night and I am already in Abuja. I don’t know if they deliberately sent the invitation at that time of the night because as of 3 pm yesterday, I was still in Ondo state and no such invitation was extended to me.”

Also speaking, a governorship aspirant, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, denied any knowledge of the meeting, saying “I was not only sidelined but all my political associates and followers were shut out of the stakeholders meeting.”

However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Ayedatiwa, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, said all the aspirants were invited to the meeting.

According to Adeniyan, all the aspirants were invited to the meeting through their local government, adding that no APC stakeholders are left behind in the meeting

But Ayedatiwa, while speaking at the meeting which was attended by members of his cabinet, stated: “It is important for me to tell you that as leaders of our party, we must put behind us the events of the last few months and come together as one big family for the progress of the APC and the development of our dear State.

“To me, what happened in the past was just politics. It was not a fight; it was not a battle; it was mere politics and I can say that I did not take any offence from that. The most important thing for us is to remain as one big family. There should be no division in our party.

“There is the need to make our party stronger and that necessitated the idea of this enlarged stakeholders meeting to bring everybody on board. Our party leaders and members are critical stakeholders that we cannot afford to neglect.

“There have been complaints from many of our party officers at local levels of not being carried along in the scheme of things. That must now be a thing of the past. All our party officers from ward to local government to State levels will be given the recognition they deserve,” he emphasised.

The Governor also paid glowing tributes to the former Governor, Late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, promising that the state government will work with the family to give him a befitting state burial and to immortalize his name and legacies.

The Governor thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for showing keen interest in the peace and development of Ondo State, adding that the president is happy with the current tranquillity being enjoyed in the State.

Speaking earlier, the State Chairman of the APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, who commended the Governor for the timely engagement of party stakeholders, stressed that party leaders must put the past behind them to foster unity ahead of the coming governorship election.

Those present at the meeting included members of the State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, members of the State Executive Council, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladuni Odu, former Deputy Governors, Alhaji Ali Olanusi and Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo.

Also at the meeting are former State Chairman of the party, Ambassador Sola Iji; former SSG, Hon. Sunday Abegunde, member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Biola Makinde, Chief Segun Ojo, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowoshe, among many others. (Nigerian Tribune)