- Aiyedatiwa, other APC aspirants mourn
- He was expecting victory – APC
- Akinterinwa, Oke suspend campaign activities in honour
A governorship aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Dr Paul Akintelure, has died a few days after alleging a threat to his life.
Akintelure, a medical doctor, was said to have passed on in the early hours of Tuesday, during a brief illness in Lagos.
He had raised concerns last week about both direct and indirect threats to his life, hoping that the situation would improve over time.
However, it escalated as the APC governorship primary election billed for April 25 approached.
Akintelure’s alarm on the threat to life
Akintelure in a statement released by his spokesperson, Oladapo Akintelure, on Thursday, March 21, 2023, said, “Initially, I hoped these incidents would dissipate over time, yet regrettably, they have escalated to pose a serious threat to my life.
“The threats against me only strengthen my resolve to stand up for what is right and just. I will not allow fear to dictate our path forward.
“Let us embrace peace, progress, and unity. Our collective strength lies in our to stand together as one, regardless of our differences.”
Political background
Akintelure ran as the deputy governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with the departed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu against former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the then Labour Party flagbearer, in the 2012 governorship election, who won that election.
Earlier, he had contested the senatorial election against the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, but was defeated.
He was a medical doctor and hailed from Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
This development happened as the build-up to the Ondo governorship election continued to gather momentum.
Aiyedatiwa, other Ondo APC gov aspirants mourn Akintelure
Reacting, the state governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, described the incident as shocking and devastating.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor sympathised with the Akintelure family, the people of Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state
He said: “Dr. Akintelure was a wonderful human being and was a core progressive. He was very consistent and loyal to the tenets of progressive politics in Ondo State and Nigeria.
“He was a friend and associate. He conducted his private business and public affairs with so much decorum and humility to the admiration of many. We have lost a complete gentleman. He will be greatly missed.”
Also, other APC aspirants including Mr Wale Akinterinwa and Chief Olusola Oke have mourned the passage.
The spokesman of the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation, Segun Ajiboye, said in a statement quoted his principal, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, as saying his campaign activities, which were earlier planned to kick off on Tuesday, with a praise worship at his country home in Ile-Oluji, was suspended in honour of the deceased.
He said, “I am saddened by the news of the passing of a friend and comrade. Following this sad incident, I have decided to suspend all political activities of our campaign organisation.
“I pray God to console his family, friends, and the APC in Ondo state and to give the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
Similarly, another aspirant, Chief Olusola Oke, described Akintelure’s death as a rude shock, saying the state had lost a great gem.
Oke said in a statement, ” The news of the death of Dr. Paul Akintelure came to me as a rude shock. Indeed, Nigeria, Ondo state, and Igbotako town have lost a great gem.
“His passing is a further depletion of the clan of the finest in the politics of our country. He enriched politics with dignity and decency. He lived the life of a dove. Despite the adversarial nature of our politics, he never sought to offend anyone. I am, therefore, constrained by this sad event to suspend all my political activities in honour of our departed compatriot.”
To this end, he announced the postponement of his political campaign in honour of the departed APC chieftain.
Akintelure was expecting victory – Ondo APC
In its reaction, the APC in the state mourned Akintelure’s passage in a statement issued by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaiye.
The statement quoted the state chairman of the APC, Ade Adetimehin, describing the deceased as a personal friend, with whom he had a good relationship over the years.
It said “The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State is saddened over the death of one of its gladiators, Dr. Paul Akintelure. He was a governorship aspirant, getting ready to participate in the party’s primary slated for next month.
“Akintelure was a highly refined and consistent political figure whose position was that the essence of being in politics is to build the people and the land.
“The contributions of the departed political leader to the development and stability of Ondo State chapter of APC will not be forgotten. Like other governorship aspirants, he was optimistic of victory, come April. He had many other plans, but death was never part of them.
“The state chapter condoles with the immediate family, Igbotako community, his political associates, and the Nigerian Medical Association. May his soul rest in peace.”
