ONDO, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 – Rotimi Akeredolu, winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Ondo state, says the party has forwarded his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the November 26 election.
In a statement issued by his campaign team on Thursday, Akeredolu said the party’s national working committee (NWC) has struck out the report of the appeal committee, which faulted his emergence.
Citing irregularities, the panel had recommended the cancellation of the September 3 primary election.
The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described his affirmation as the governorship candidate of the APC the work of God.
“What can I say than to thank God who has done it again. God does not abandon his projects notwithstanding the challenges that may arise,” his media team quoted him as saying.
“The NWC struck out the report of the appeal committee which had earlier recommended the cancellation of the September 3 election.
“The party’s apex decision making organ averred that Appeal Committee’s report was prejudicial and largely perfunctory as its decision was based on unsubstantiated allegations and spurious claims of electoral manipulations.”
He thanked the leadership of the party for “making sure that justice was done to all parties in dispute”.
“I make bold to say to my co-aspirants in the APC, that we are all winners. None is vanquished. We are all victors. None is a loser,” he was quoted as saying.
“I hold the ticket of party in trust for all of you. I am not perfect. No one is. But I will make up for my imperfections by drawing from your collective strength. Together we shall work in one accord to achieve success in the November 26 governorship election.
“Now is the time to pull our energy and resources and rescue our state from misery and misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party-led government. United we stand. United we shall be victorious.”
The party is yet to comment on the development.
