The governorship candidate of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria for the October 20, 2012 gubernatorial poll on Saturday emerged at the party’s primary election.
He is a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.
The state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, was adopted as the Labour Party candidate, while a former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olusola Oke, is the party’s candidate.
Announcing the result of the ACN primaries, the chairman of the congress committee, Mr. Olawale Osun, said 55,917 out of the 61,246 accredited delegates voted in favour of Akeredolu.
However, One of the former aspirants and a former Chairman the party, Barrister Sola Iji, moved the motion for the acceptance of the result.
Subsequently, another aspirant and a federal lawmaker, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, seconded the motion moved by Iji.
The candidate, after receiving his certificate of nomination, presented by the National Vice Chairman, South West, Senator James Kolawole, said it is time for the party to swing into action.
Akeredolu said the party will emerge victorious in the election, stressing that he is ready for the task ahead.
The gubernatorial primary election, which took place in Akure, the state capital, was witnessed by officials of the Independent Electoral Commission and representatives of security agencies.
At the event were the Chairman of the ACN in Ekiti state, Chief Jide Awe; the National Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Kareem; the Chairman of the ACN in Osun State, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi; and the Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the party, Alhaji Aji.
Others were the Director General of the campaign and a former aspirant, Tayo Alasoadura; other former aspirants – Dr. Segun Abraham, Hon. Joseph Jayeola, Senator Meroyi, Olayato Aribo, Wale Akinterinwa, Ayodele Adedipe and Atanlogun Igbenla.
Cheiftains of the party, who were present included Prince Olu Adegboro, Bola Ilori, Femi Adekanbi, Adegboyega Adefarati, Chief Ayodele Awodeyi, Ayo Afolabi, Paul Akintelure, Folagbade Amodeni, Wale Amojuwa, Ade Adetimehin, Eleru Modupe Johnson.
At the PDP’s congress held at Helena Hotel in Akure, 621 delegates of the PDP elected Oke as candidate for the forthcoming election.
The party, which conducted a peaceful primaries, was witnessed by INEC officials and PDP National delegation led by Senator Umaru Tsauri, also picked a former governorship aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Saka Lawal, as his running mate.
Addressing the party delegates, the PDP state Chairman, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, said there was an internal aggreement between the party executives and chieftains in selecting the candidate and the running mate.
Alabi added that the party went into the primaries after the delegates have unianimously aggreed to vote for Oke.
He noted that “the system adopted by the party was supported by other aspirants and they are all present at this party primaries to support the PDP flagbeaerer.”
The former state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, commended the party leaders and supporters for adopting Oke as the flagbearer, stressing that “in Ondo State today, PDP is one family.”
Agagu said it was part of the aggreement of the PDP leaders to give the party Deputy governorship slot to a former member of any opposition party.
Agagu said: “Lawal was picked today becuase he was one of the aspirants of ACN and also have the ideology, which the PDP has for the people of the state.
“What we are doing today has never been done in the history of the party.
“The peoeple have seen that there is a big different between LP and PDP.
“They are suffering and want our government back.”
The party’s candidate commended the party members for embracing his candidature, promising that he would never disappoint them.
Oke assured them that his administration would focus on creation of jobs for the people.
He said: “You can’t embark on infrastruture when the people are suffering, the will embark on destroying them.
“You can’t be building bus stop when you don’t have buses.
“Thank God for the Federal Government that gave the states oil subsidy palliative buses.”
The ruling Labour Party picked Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his Deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, as its governorship candidate and running mate respectively.
Chief Abiodun Ogunjumelo, who was an aspirant of the party stepped down for Mimiko before the commencement of the congress.
The Nation.