The Ondo State All Progressives Congress said that no political appointee was among the national delegate list it sent to Abuja to participate in the party’s presidential primary.
According to reports by The Nation, the Chairman of the state chapter of the party, Ade Adetimehin, described the list trending on social media as fake and misleading.
Adetimehin explained that the political appointees included in the delegates’ list had been replaced in compliance with the Electoral Act.
In a statement issued in Akure, Adetimehin urged Ondo APC stakeholders and supporters to disregard what he termed a misleading narrative and focus on the forthcoming presidential primaries of the ruling party.
He urged the Abuja-bound delegates to do the state proud by exhibiting a high level of discipline in all their dealings during the apex party assignment.
Meanwhile, Governor Akeredolu has begun reconciliation moves to enable aspirants who lost out at the primaries to remain in the party.
Akeredolu also tasked the candidates that won their elections to reach out to their co-contestants and reconcile with them.
He spoke at a meeting with the aspirants, party leaders, and other stakeholders.
The governor urged them to work in unity for the party to record total victory in next year’s general elections.
He said the APC must win the three senatorial seats, the nine seats of the House of Representatives, and all the 26 seats of the state House of Assembly.
Akeredolu appealed to the aspirants who lost at the party’s primary election not to take it in bad faith as, according to him, a winner must emerge in any contest.
He said there were no losers at the APC primaries in the state and pointed out that the party’s tickets were collectively owned by all those who participated in the primary.
On his rumoured imposition of candidates in the party, he said, “I did not impose candidates on you. The party’s decision was made known here, and I felt we should follow it through. I specifically said that whatever decision the party made did not preclude others from the contest. And I am glad people contested.
“So, the primaries have come and gone. It is a process; a number of them cannot be reversed. I congratulate those who won. Those who didn’t win, I want to appeal to you to take the outcome of the primaries in good faith and join hands with the winners to record victory in next year’s general elections.
“We cannot, and we must not lose any seat. Not even in the House of Assembly. We must have three senators this time around. We cannot lose anywhere. We must not lose the Akure South/North Federal constituency. We have won before; we must win again.
“Let us bring out the glory of this party. This coming election is a very vital one. Your campaign must be APC-based. Appealing to your co-contestant is very important,” he noted.
The Ondo APC chairman, Ade Adetimehin, urged the aspirants and stakeholders to see the outcome of the primary as a family affair.
“I want to appeal to those who stepped down. I am here to appeal that we must work together. We do our things in Ondo state in a very colourful way. Let us see the contest as a contest within the family,” Adetimehin said.