2023: Ondo APC concludes on concensus arrangements

Some few days away from the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, indications have emerged that the party has concluded all arrangements on consensus candidates in some areas while primaries will only hold in areas where consensus agreement couldn’t be reached.

Tribune Online gathered that the leadership of the party in the state had already briefed the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu on the development and the reports of committees submitted towards ensuring a rancour-free primary election.

A source within the party disclosed that a committee was set up in each of the three senatorial districts of the state, to prune down the number of aspirants and arrive at a consensus, saying the governor was satisfied with the outcome of the arrangement

It was gathered that the State Working Committee of the party and some selected leaders have held two strategic meetings with the Governor at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office to fine-tune the decisions of the party leadership in the senatorial districts.

For the Southern senatorial seat, it was gathered that the party leadership and the Governor agreed to throw open the contest since consensus couldn’t be reached.

The Senatorial aspirants in the south include the Billionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim; former CEO of ONDIPA, Boye Oyewumi; Mathew Oyerinmade; and a member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin.

The aspirants are, therefore, expected to battle for the souls and mandate of the delegates as the primary elections draw nearer.

For the House of Representatives seat in the Southern Senatorial District, a party source at the meeting disclosed that former information commissioner, Donald Ojogo emerged as the party’s consensus for the Ilaje/Ese-Odo federal constituency. Ojogo, a close ally and political son of the governor, is said to have enjoyed the popular support of the party leadership in both Ilaje and Ese-Odo.

However, primary elections will be held in the other two Federal constituencies in the district; the Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency and Ile-Oluji-Oke-Igbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency. The decision to hold primary elections in the two federal constituencies was due to the inability of the party’s leadership to reach a consensus.

Also in the south, there are consensus candidates for the house of Assembly. However, in Odigbo constituency 1, party chieftain, Tunji Rhema and former Special Adviser to the governor, Tunji Fabiyi alongside the son of the late monarch, Prince Akinbobola Temidayo Ojo will be slugging it out at primary as no consensus was reached in the constituency, a top party source revealed.

In the Central, the source explained that the Governor and the party leadership agreed to throw the race open since the leadership of the party in the senatorial district couldn’t talk the stakeholders and party leadership into a consensus arrangement.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the APC in the Northern Senatorial district has anointed and picked Jide Ipinsagba as the party’s choice for the ticket of the party ahead of the next year’s election. Ipinsagba is from Akoko.

Other aspirants endorsed by the party in the north, according to party sources include; Bunmi Tunji-Ojo; Timehin Adelegbe; and Gboyega Adefarati.

A member of the state working committee who spoke in confidence with our correspondent said party elders and leaders sat and deliberated on the best choice for the party ahead of the primary.

This, he said, was not to rule out others who may still want to contest the exercise, but to reinforce the party’s cohesion.

“The party set up committees across the three senatorial districts of the state. The committees were chaired by the Senatorial chairmen in each of the districts. Their job was to engage the stakeholders and prune the number of aspirants to one. This is not to say that others who may still want to contest are not allowed. But, the party made a choice.

“The State Working Committee led by the chairman, Ade Adetimehin met with the governor at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office and presented the report of the committee from the three senatorial districts. That meeting had in attendance, local government party chairmen, some selected leaders, and all members of the State Working Committee.

“After due deliberations and consultations with these party leaders, the Governor supported that the reports be adopted. So, this is purely a party activity. No unilateral decision was taken by anyone. It is so rare to see a state Governor respecting the party this way. Well for us, we are amazed.” He said

In his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of APC, Alex Kalejaye said “The party position is that aspirants should get prepared for primaries. Although the leadership of the chapter, expectedly, betrays an interest in some House of Assembly aspirants, for the stability of the House, and has sufficiently pacified aggrieved leaders from such state constituencies.

“It is not going to be an outright imposition. What that means is that the party is in full support of a transparent exercise during the primaries.”

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