Ahead of the 2023 governorship poll in Ondo State, a National Assembly member representing Ile Oluji/ Okeigbo/ Odigbo federal constituency, Festus Adefiranye and some youth of All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their weight behind the governorship ambition of former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr Wale Akinterinwa.
The youths said the endorsement of Akinterinwa became necessary after screening all the party’s aspirants in the race for the ticket.
According to them, the former Finance Commissioner remains the most suitable candidate for the position due to his extensive experience and wide-ranging exposure compared to other contenders for the gubernatorial seat.
Speaking during the meeting of some APC youth leaders in the Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local government area, the federal lawmaker said Akinterinwa stood the best chance among the horde of aspirants in the APC to emerge as its governorship candidate.
He described Akinterinwana as a grassroots mobilizer who is also deeply entrenched in the politics of the state. He stated that Akinterinwa possesses the necessary experience to govern the state if elected as governor.
He appealed to the leadership of the APC in the state to work in unity and togetherness, saying there was nothing to gain from rancour.
His words “There is nothing we would gain in rancour, I want to advise our leaders to let us work together, if we have different candidates, let us campaign for them without any rancour. By the grace of God our party would succeed.”
Adefiranye assured the APC youth leaders that he would continue to defend the interests of the party, economically and politically.
The APC youth leaders, however, passed a vote of confidence on Mr Adefinraye as the lawmaker representing their federal constituency.
Akinterinwa, is one of the foremost aspirants of the APC jostling for gunning for the ticket of APC to contest the November 2024 governorship election in the State.
It will be recalled that Adefiranye, the lawmaker representing Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency, is one of the lawmakers who petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the state of affairs of the APC in the state.
The lawmakers in their letter to Tinubu urged the leadership of the party not to compensate incompetence for merit in the party’s primary.
The APC has fixed April for the conduct of its primary election to pick its candidate for the governorship election slated for 16 November by INEC.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE