Tinubu on Akeredolu’s victory: All disaffected APC members must come together

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged all “disaffected” members of the party to come together, following the victory of Rotimi Akeredolu, the party’s candidate, at the Ondo state governorship election.

After Akeredolu was declared winner of the primary on September 3, after he polled a total of 699 votes — ahead of Olusegun Abraham, preferred candidate of Tinubu, who polled 635 votes — the former Lagos governor accused John Oyegun of “safeguarding the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud, arrogating to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party”. He asked Oyegun to resign.

However, on Sunday, Tinubu congratulated Akeredolu for his victory at the election.

“Following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with regard to the governorship elections in Ondo State, I extend congratulations to Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN on the outcome of the election and for his perseverance and persistence in seeking that office,” he said in a statement he personally signed.

“I must also congratulate the people of Ondo State for their generally exemplary conduct on election day and for demonstrating their will to shun the regressive politics of yesterday by returning to the progressive brand of politics that has been the trademark of the people of that state.

“I congratulate all party members in the state, particularly the party leadership in the Southwest.

“Finally, I must express profound congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari, the national leader of the party, whose stature and dignity helped guide the APC to another victory that should advance the progressive aims of the party and the people.

“To all the people and parties in Ondo, your election has been had and held. Now is the time that all must work for the continued development, prosperity and peace of your state and our beloved country.

“I appeal to all party members including those who have been disaffected from the primary until today to come together for the good of our party and it’s progressive ideals.”

Olusola Oke, one of those who lost to Akeredolu at the party’s primary, defected to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and contested the governorship election proper, but he placed third.