Ondo APC seeks elders’ support to resolve post-primary rancour

The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State on Tuesday called on the party’s elders in the state to intervene in the ongoing crisis that arose after the last primary election.

‎Some aspirants who were earlier announced the winners of the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries sued the party for allegedly removing their names from the list of candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission by the National Working Committee of the APC.

‎As part of the efforts to resolve the crisis, the state APC set up and inaugurated a reconciliation committee led by the chairman of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission, Mr Biyi Poroye.

‎‎The state chairman of the party, Mr Babatunde Kolawole, on Tuesday led members of the state working committee to one of the party elders in the state, a former deputy governor and Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda, Chief Omolade Oluwateru.

‎‎At the residence of the former deputy governor, the APC chairman said, “We are glad to have Your Excellency in APC at a time like this.  The State chapter and government need your experience and support to pilot affairs.

‎‎”Your Excellency has been lending support at different fronts, we are using this opportunity to urge you to do more, for our state in particular.”

‎‎The chairman noted that crises were inevitable after party primary elections, adding that “this informed the setting up of a reconciliation committee, to look into grievances and suggest ways to nip them in the bud before general elections.”

‎‎He appealed to the septuagenarian to join hands with the party in the efforts to ensure desirable peace and unity return betimes.

‎”We enjoin our respected leader to assist in reaching out to our members who are visibly aggrieved as a result of the outcome of the primaries,” he urged.

‎‎Responding, the former ambassador expressed delight with the party for being proactive, especially in setting up the reconciliation committee.

‎Oluwateru, who served as deputy governor under late former governor Olusegun Agagu as deputy governor, said he joined the APC to support the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, come 2027.

‎He said it was expedient to bring all party members together, ahead of the general elections, to deliver maximum votes for the President in the Sunshine State.

‎”I am an establishment person, and a party man to the core, and I pledge my loyalty to the hierarchy of the party. My advice is that we should bring everyone together. I am ready to assist the party in this regard. I want to assure you that I am 100 percent with you on this mission.

‎‎”I am in the party to assist its development and ensure Asiwaju Tinubu returns as president in 2027. If we waste the chance, we don’t know when it will come to the Yoruba again,” he stressed.