Ondo 2016: Oke denies plan to dump APC

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2013 governorship election in Ondo State and an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded party primaries in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, on Thursday, denied dumping the party for another party to realise his governorship ambition.

Oke was said to have concluded arrangement to join and declare for a political party, in order to contest for the governorship seat in the state after losing the primaries.

According to a source, Oke was irked by the outcome of the primaries conducted in Akure some two weeks ago, saying the process that produced the party’s standard-bearer was fraught with irregularities.

The source informed that Oke was waiting for the outcome of the election appeal committee sitting in Abuja to decide before deciding on the next line of action.

However, dispelling the defection rumour, the media assistant to Oke, Rotimi Ogunleye, said the next step to be taken by Oke would be made public.

“The rumour is around the town and if at all Chief Oke will dump the party, the next point of call will not be the party  being speculated, but we have many options on the table.

“It is the decision of the party and what they are going to do tomorrow (Friday) that will determine so many things, so we are waiting for the outcome of the appeal and as I’m speaking to you, we are still in the party.

“But let me assure you that Chief Oke as a real party man is not going anywhere for now. As at this night that I am speaking to you, we are not going anywhere and Chief Oke is still a member of APC,” he said.

Another source close to Oke camp informed the Nigerian Tribune that even if Oke would be leaving APC, it would not be APGA and said specifically that if the outcome of the appeal committee did not favour him, Oke might contest on another platform.

Oke, who contested the APC primaries with some other 23 aspirants, came third and had petitioned the appeal committee to contest the result of the election.

Rotimi Akeredolu emerged the party’s standard-bearer, winning with 669 votes to beat his closest rival, Olusegun Abraham, who polled 635 votes.