Ekiti Guber Poll: APC Has No Anointed Candidate, Says Odigie-Oyegun
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| Oyegun |
National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief
John Odigie-Oyegun, has put a lie to a raging rumour that the party has
anointed a particular candidate for the July 14th governorship election in
Ekiti State.
John Odigie-Oyegun, has put a lie to a raging rumour that the party has
anointed a particular candidate for the July 14th governorship election in
Ekiti State.
Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke on Friday,
through his political aide, Hon. Soni Idahagbon, said there was no truth in the
allegation that a recent visit to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Minister of
Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, im company with a former
governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, was an endorsement of Fayemi.
through his political aide, Hon. Soni Idahagbon, said there was no truth in the
allegation that a recent visit to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Minister of
Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, im company with a former
governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, was an endorsement of Fayemi.
“Fayemi is a Minister in the
President’s cabinet and a former governor of Ekiti State, and Adebayo is also a
formee governor of the state; they could have gone to discuss development
issues pertaining to the state.
President’s cabinet and a former governor of Ekiti State, and Adebayo is also a
formee governor of the state; they could have gone to discuss development
issues pertaining to the state.
“All I know is that there is no anointed candidate in Ekiti
and I believe the President takes no special interest in any candidate. We will
give all the contestants a level-playing field and whoever emerges winner in an
open contest becomes the candidate of all of us.
and I believe the President takes no special interest in any candidate. We will
give all the contestants a level-playing field and whoever emerges winner in an
open contest becomes the candidate of all of us.
“The APC is a democratic party; we are not dictatorial or
nocturnal in any of our dealings. When you talk of a consensus candidate, you
talk of the common decision of all the contestants to pick on one person, not
that any leader will come and impose a candidate against the will of the party
delegates who are entitled to their votes,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
nocturnal in any of our dealings. When you talk of a consensus candidate, you
talk of the common decision of all the contestants to pick on one person, not
that any leader will come and impose a candidate against the will of the party
delegates who are entitled to their votes,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
He also assured that whoever emerges as the party’s
candidate would receive the blessing of the party at the national level.
candidate would receive the blessing of the party at the national level.
“If I didn’t impose a candidate in my state, Edo, and in
other states where primary elections had been conducted by our party, if the
President had not imposed anybody in those states, why should we do such in
Ekiti?” He asked.
other states where primary elections had been conducted by our party, if the
President had not imposed anybody in those states, why should we do such in
Ekiti?” He asked.
The APC boss, however, assured that the party would present
a credible candidate, capable of wresting power from the ruling People’s
Democratic Party, adding that what Ekiti needed now was a responsive
government.
a credible candidate, capable of wresting power from the ruling People’s
Democratic Party, adding that what Ekiti needed now was a responsive
government.
Meanwhile, a pressure group within
the APC, Ekiti Youth Forum, has urged the party’s delegates to “look out for a
candidate without baggage, that is fresh, young and filled with brilliant ideas
to help transform the state to a new haven.”
the APC, Ekiti Youth Forum, has urged the party’s delegates to “look out for a
candidate without baggage, that is fresh, young and filled with brilliant ideas
to help transform the state to a new haven.”
In a statement by its coordinator, Comrade
Sam Alonge, the group said “We want a break-away from the old ‘cargoes’ in
Ekiti; we need technocrats who are well travelled and who can easily attract foreign
investors, as our new governor.”
Sam Alonge, the group said “We want a break-away from the old ‘cargoes’ in
Ekiti; we need technocrats who are well travelled and who can easily attract foreign
investors, as our new governor.”
