Campaign and consultation by the 16 All Progressives Congress governorship aspirants in Ondo State continued late into the night yesterday ahead of today’s direct primary election.

A total of 171,922 revalidated members of the APC in the state are expected to vote in the primary in 203 political wards across the state.

Although all the aspirants have been boasting about their chances, observers pick the incumbent Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Wale Akinterinwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and Isaacs Kekemeke as front runners.

Others in the race are Olusola Adewale Ehinlanwo, Olugbenga Omogbemi Edema, Engr. Olufunmilayo Waheed Adekojo, Akinfolarin Mayo Samuel, Chief Olusola Alexandria Oke (SAN), Ohunyeye Olumide Felix, Barrister Morayo Lebi, Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan, Prof. Francis Adebayo Faduyile, Engr. (Mrs.) Omogoroye Folakemi Judith, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele and Omo’Oba Okunjimi Odimayo.

Party sources said last night that a few aspirants could opt out before the commencement of voting today.

Some members of the party under the auspices of the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AGM), a political pressure group backed by Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the party needed cohesion after the primary.

Director General of the AGM, Muyiwa Asagunla said: “The political atmosphere of the state is becoming so tensed and he (Tunji-Ojo) needs to speak that he is not behind any aspirant. He made it clear that this group is not and will not be behind any aspirant.

“We have personalities here supporting different aspirants. They are from the camps of different governorship aspirants.

“People have seen that the Minister is unbiased about it. What he is after is that we have stability in the politics of Ondo State.

“When the party speaks, that is the candidate we are going to pitch our tent with.

“As of today, we are for all the aspirants and at the same time we are not for any of the aspirants.

“We believe that politics and elections in Ondo State substantially dictate the direction of things in the general elections in the country and hence the need to have a formidable and pro-people governor and government come November when the Ondo State Gubernatorial election will hold.”

One of the governorship aspirants, Funmi Waheed-Adekojo, who spoke to reporters in Akure, said she would step down from the race if the party’s leadership asked her to do so because of her loyalty.

“I will step down for my loyalty of the party. If the party asked me, I will do so. It is where the party goes I will go,” she said.

A major concern for members of the party ahead of the primary was the names on the revalidated membership list.

Seven of the aspirants had petitioned the national leadership of the party over the use of the revalidated list for the conduct of the primary. The aspirants claimed the membership revalidation was done without their knowledge.

The lawmaker representing Odigbo Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Ifabiyi Samuel Olatunji, who kicked against using the list, said he was shocked to see two revalidated members from his ward.

According to him, “it is fraud of the highest order. In my ward, only two people registered and two people were revalidated. It is a lie from the pit of hell. We have 11 wards and we have registered members of the party.

“We have over 1,000 registered APC members in my ward. To my surprise somebody brought only two registered members. We are building on zero level and fraud. Members’ register is key to this election, and in a situation where the register is faulty, the whole system is faulty.”

Akinterinwa expressed optimism that some aspirants would step down for him. He said he was expecting victory at the polls.

Aiyedatiwa said the immense support he received across the state showed the people want continuity in office.

Aiyedatiwa urged his loyalists to remain steadfast.

“Throughout this campaign journey, the immense support I’ve garnered stresses the resounding desire of the people of Ondo State for continuity,” he said.

“This affirmation is rooted in the remarkable progress achieved during the short period we have spent in office.

“The people of Ondo State yearn for the continuation of this positive trajectory, and it’s evident that they believe I am the right candidate to lead this charge.

“Therefore, I urge everyone to identify with me in their various wards on Saturday, so that the developmental phase we have embarked on can continue.

“Let us ensure that our collective voices are heard loud and clear.”

Governor Aiyedatiwa promised to increase developmental projects to strengthen the status of Ikare as one of the major economic hubs of the state.

Akinterinwa told journalists after his campaign tour that he expected to be victorious.

He said he saw sincerity on the part of the people.

“They want somebody knowledgeable, somebody who has the capacity, somebody who has been around long enough, somebody who they know and who they know has been in government, somebody they can fraternise with.

“When we go out, we don’t take crowds from one local government to the other. So, our crowd is organic; it is within that environment. I believe the state is ready for us, and they want us.

“I expect that on Saturday, we will come out as the winners of the primaries by the grace of God. I won’t be surprised if aspirants start stepping down for me. Some of them (aspirants) are reaching out to me.”

On expectations from the committee that will conduct the primary, Akinterinwa said: “I expect that the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo, I don’t know him, but I believe he is a man of integrity, a man who has capacity.

“Obviously, for choosing him to come and conduct the election here (Ondo State), the party hierarchy must know that he is capable of doing a good job.

“I expect that we will have a level playing field and that we will have free and fair primaries, hitch-free, even though people are still a bit skeptical due to certain things.

“But all I know is that despite some of these obstacles, I’ll surmount them and come out victorious.

“The party has a structure. I believed that the people coming to conduct the primaries were also members of the party and had an understanding of their role.”

Jimoh optimistic about victory

In an interview with The Nation, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who is representing Ondo South Senatorial District in the Senate, said he would win the primary.

He said he worked more than all the aspirants and that he is well rooted in all the 18 local government areas and 303 wards of the state.

He said he was enthusiastically received by APC members during his campaign tour during which he explained his Renewed Hope Agenda to them.

Senator Ibrahim sued for a free and fair contest and enjoined his fellow contestants to ensure that the will of party members prevailed.

“l am the candidate to beat. The other contestants know that. Everywhere you go, it is Jimoh Ibrahim.  My campaign group worked very hard. We are highly optimistic,” he said.

Akintelure’s family denies endorsing any aspirant

The family of the late Dr Paul Akintelure, the APC governorship aspirant who died last month, has denied endorsing any governorship aspirant in the state.

A brother of the deceased, Oladapo Akintelure, said media reports claiming that the family had thrown its weight behind another aspirant were false.

“We wish to unequivocally state that the DPA family is neither directly nor indirectly involved in these acts of political endorsements,” he said.

“We have not directed anybody or any group to engage in such endorsements in the name of the family or in the name of our late icon Dr. Paul Akintelure (DPA).

 “We vehemently disapprove of any individual or group endorsing aspirants in the name of DPA structure, and we urge them to desist from such actions.”