- Urges all aspirants, party faithfuls to close ranks
Gboyega Akinsanmi
Forty-eight hours to the governorship primary in Ondo State, the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday urged all aspirants not to allow the opposition sow the seeds of discord in their ranks, noting that the APC would not win the main poll through bickering.
Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, also urged the aspirants to close ranks in order to achieve victory in the governorship election scheduled to hold on November 26, saying the people of the state “have a chance to break the shackles of misgovernance and suppression.”
He gave the advice in a statement he personally signed, reminding the aspirants and party faithful that the mission of the APC “is too important … to allow ourselves to be divided or sidetracked. We must remember what is truly at stake.”
The national leader, who has been widely criticised for endorsing one of the aspirants, Mr. Olusegun Abraham, noted that Ondo “will either renew the way of progress or continue to be oppressed.”
He claimed that the APC “is the way of progress. Thus, let us make this progress hand in hand, united in our belief that we can make Ondo better. The APC must win the coming election and restore democracy and the virtues of public service to the seat of governance in the state.
“This is what the people desire and deserve. They have waited patiently. Now is the time to answer their call. This is our duty as a party and as people who care about their fellow man. The APC must go into the governorship as united in focus and purpose. All else is secondary to this objective.
“The journey to reestablishing governance for the people and for posterity begins with the primaries this Saturday. The process leading up to the primaries has been robust and energetic. We have the good fortune of having numerous renown and able party members seek the nomination.
“This has led to keen competition. During such tight competition, tensions always mount and often-harsh things are spoken. But this back and forth, this committed dialogue, is an integral part of the democratic process. And it is this process that we have enshrined and shall cherish in this party.”
