By Ayodele Oni
The pioneer leaders of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ondo State, known as APC Aborigines, have announced Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as their preferred candidate ahead of the Party’s Primary and November Governorship Election.
A statement on Tuesday by Ebenezer Adeniyan, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor stated that the endorsement came during a meeting of the group led by Sola Iji, former Ambassador to Togo, in Akure, where the group adopted the candidacy of the Governor.
Some members and aspirants of APC have earlier warned against this move, which they believe could cause rancour within the party.
Leaders of the party at the event include former Deputy Leader of the Senate, Prof. Ajayi Borrofice, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, Dr. Taiwo Malumi, Mrs Grace Animola, Alhaji Yinusa Adeola and Hon. Akinsehinde Awodeyi-Apata.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ambassador Iji said following the establishment of a nine-member committee, three aspirants were recommended after screening and out of the three, Governor Aiyedatiwa scored the highest mark and thus adopted as the preferred candidate of the group.
He explained that the leadership unanimously agreed to select Aiyedatiwa based on the set criteria including popularity, acceptability, financial capability, character, integrity, loyalty, commitment, educational background, and assessments by prominent leaders.
“After thorough discussions and careful consideration, the leadership collectively agreed to extend their endorsement to Governor Aiyedatiwa.
“This decision was not made lightly; rather, it was the culmination of a comprehensive assessment. This rigorous evaluation process underscores our commitment to selecting the most qualified candidate to lead us forward.”
In his remarks, Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming endorsement of his candidacy for the upcoming gubernatorial election, thanking the party leaders for their commitment to the development of the party.
Highlighting the significance of their endorsement in line with the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Aiyedatiwa emphasized the importance of continuity to uphold the legacy of former Governor, Late Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.
The Governor stated that he accepted the endorsement with humility and a sense of responsibility, vowing to rededicate himself to the collective goal of building a more prosperous Ondo State.
“Let me say that your open, transparent and credible endorsement of my candidature is an honour, not just for me, but also for fellow contestants and the APC family in Ondo State.
“What you have done is to put our great Party on the path of victory in the impending gubernatorial election in our Sunshine State.”
 in Ondo State, known as APC Aborigines, have announced Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as their preferred candidate ahead of the Party's Primary and November Governorship Election.){kind=link}