The National Chairman of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on aggrieved aspirants of the party in the just concluded governorship primary election to bury their grievances and work in concert with Governor Lucky Aidatiwa, who emerged winner of the shadow election.
Speaking at a reconciliatory meeting he convened Thursday at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Ganduje said it would be in their best interest for the APC to retain control of Ondo state.
In attendance at the parley later held behind closed doors were Governor Aiyedatiwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Olusola Oke; Prof Francis Faduyile; Dr Funmi Waheed-Adekojo, Dr Soji Ehinlanwo, Akinfolarin Samuel, Okunjimi Odimayo, Olugbenga Edema, Gen Ohunyeye Olamide, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Iyanjan, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Judith Omogoroye.
However, two of the aspirants; Adewale Akinterinwa and Isaacs Kekemeke were absent.
Ganduje who described all the aspirants as important, tested and knowledgeable personalities noted that there would be no need dwelling on the issues surrounding the conduct of the governorship primary held last Saturday in Ondo state.
Reminiscing how he eventually became Kano state governor 16 years after an unsuccessful bid for the office, the APC National Chairman called on the aspirants to remain hopeful of actualizing their aspiration in the years ahead.
He said: “Since we are all democrats, we should be used to ups and down of politics. The purpose of this dialogue is to appeal to you. This dialogue is not to dwell on what has happened, or what did not happens, what is correct and what is not correct during the primary,” he said.
“If we dwell on that, it would lead to what we can call too much analysis which will lead to paralysis. Our own is to appeal to you. The party belongs to you and only you. Our prayers is that our party should be the ruling party in Ondo state. It’s already a ruling. Our prayers is for it to continue to be a ruling party in Ondo state.
“We are all practitioners in this game. I recall that I contested for the governorship of my state in 1999, I lost . I couldn’t become governor until after 16 years after. So, I cannot call you lost aspirants. You are aspirants that would be successful tomorrow.”
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the two hours closed-door meeting, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Hon. Duro Meseko, said the meeting successfully arrived at two conclusions.
He said: “It was agreed at the meeting because of the outcome of the primaries, because of complaints that trailed outcome on the primaries by some of the aspirants, there is the need for the party to continue dialogue with all the aspirants individually and collectively in order to be able to have a common ground for the forthcoming election in the state to be able to work together as a united family.
“It was also agreed that the State Governor Aiyedatiwa should immediately work towards instituting what is called an inclusive government in the state by involving all the other aspirants, of course most of the aspirants will not be able to participate in his government but they have people that will participate, should allow them to make inputs, he should work with them in order to be able to move the state forward.”
