By Banji Ayoola
A former governorship aspirant in the just concluded primary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Engineer Ife Oyedele said that he stepped down for Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in the overall interest of the party and the state.
The Executive Director in charge of Engineering and Technical Services, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, had withdrawn from the race on Sunday to boost Akeredolu’s chances.
His withdrawal opened the gate of further withdrawals as three other aspirants including Dr Segun Abraham, Mr Jimi Odimayo and Mr Nat Adojutelegan also bowed out of the race few hours to the start of the primary.
He spoke while addressing hundreds of his supporters in Akure, adding that his decision was underscored by his passion for rebuilding APC and unifying the people of the state to ensure economic development.
Assuring his supporters that he would not abandon them as he is a man of integrity, Oyedele disclosed that what he negotiated with Akeredolu is the future of the state and the betterment of her people.
He said he told Akeredolu to develop a blueprint for the development of the state so that future generations would have a guaranteed future.
His words: “My interest is that we must rebuild the APC in Ondo State. We must unite all our people so that we can ensure economic development. We must continue to work for the interest of the people of the Ondo State.
“Akeredolu has promised that he will work to correct what he did in the past. He apologised to everybody he may have offended through his actions. He has promised to correct things he did in the past and he has promised not to victimise anybody who did not support his second term bid. Who wants to go court must ensure success of the party.
“We will rally citizens of Ondo State behind Akeredolu. No leader of the APC will look me in the face and offer me anything that is going to be of my own benefit. I am a national leader of this party. All those in the negotiation table acknowledged that fact.”
APC had on Monday praised Oyedele for setting aside personal interest and ambition to step down for Akeredolu at the primary of the party to pick its candidate in the October 10 governorship election.
In a statement by the party’s Ondo State Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro, the party described Oyedele as a true party man.
It noted that he ran one of the biggest campaign platforms in the governorship race and had invested huge resources in funding the campaign before he decided to sacrifice all these in the overall interest of the party and the state.
The party noted that Oyedele’s quest that the APC primary held without bloodshed was commendable.
While announcing his withdrawal on Sunday night, Oyedele had said: “The interest of the citizens of Ondo state is more important than my personal interest. We are determined to ensure that we work together for what will be of benefit to citizens of Ondo state.
“We will work together to unite our party, to rebuild the party, unite our members so that we can have a rapid economic development in the state. Also, I call on other aspirants to support us in this quest of uniting our party.”
