After the conclusion of its governorship primaries, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, is faced with the daunting challenge of uniting aggrieved aspirants and warring factions within its fold.
Though the incumbent Governor and winner of the party primaries, Rotimi Akeredolu, extended the olive branch to the defeated APC aspirants, there is still a long way to go in ensuring the party go to the October 10 governorship election with a united house.
The journey to the victory of the incumbent Governor at the APC governorship election primaries, began immediately the national body of the party notified the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of the choice to adopt indirect mode of primaries.
This notification threw spanner in the party in Ondo State. At the beginning, all the aspirants except Governor Akeredolu kicked against it.
Their supporters even protested, calling on the national body to reconsider its decision. But that did not work.
The development pitched some party stakeholders against others causing a lot of anxiety at the APC Headquarters in Abuja, as substitution and
retention of names became the order of the day.
As events played out, the news of stepping down by some aspirants for the incumbent governor changed the tide.
On the day of the primaries, over 3,000 delegates voted and at the end, Akeredolu was returned.
He now bears the flag of the party for the October 10, 2020, governorship election in the state.
Akeredolu scored a total 2,472 votes to defeat eight other aspirants. His first port of call was to embark on a reconciliation move.
He visited some aggrieved aspirants.
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However, things took a new twist when two of the aggrieved aspirants, Olusola Oke, his runner up in the primaries and Nathaniel Ojuztelegan, alleged that the outcome of the exercise was predetermined.
Oke gave a seven-day ultimatum to the winner, Governor Akeredolu, to meet certain conditions for him to give him his support, otherwise, he will approach the court for justice.
However, some party chieftains have vowed to keep the peace within the party and ensure victory at the poll.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
