Ondo Guber: Tinubu Can Endorse Any Aspirant – Apc

BEVERLY HILLS, August 22, (THEWILL) – The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has told aggrieved aspirants for the Ondo governorship election under its platform that there is nothing wrong for any member of the party or anybody to endorse any of the aspirants.

It however assured them that the party had no preferred aspirant and would not impose any of the aspirants on others both at national and state level.

In the build up to the Ondo State governorship primary, a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had been accused of planning to impose his anoint candidate, Mr. Segun Abraham, on the party. This resulted in an aspirant petitioning the national secretariat of the party.

But Tinubu had denied the allegation, although insisting that he had the right to support any aspirant of his choice.

Speaking to newsmen at the weekend after a closed-door meeting with the stakeholders held at the APC headquarters in Abuja, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun stated that the party would ensure a level playing field favourable to all the aspirants.

“We have had extensive and frank discussions; we have had discussions that were occasionally passionate and strong but at the end of the day, I think we have reached some very basic and fundamental understanding that will guide the process in Ondo State from now through the primary period,” he said.

The APC chairman further disclosed that the meeting accepted that anybody within the party could endorse any aspirant, even though the party structure would not be used to favour any candidate endorsed.

According to him, “I think we have all accepted that there is nothing wrong in anybody – member of the party or even nonmember – endorsing any of the aspirants. We have also accepted unanimously that there will be no attempt on the part of the party to impose any aspirant on the party and on the electorate of Ondo State.

“We have canvassed a very clear distinction between endorsement and imposition. I want to assure all the aspirants that the party at the national level has no preferred aspirant and it is not going to endorse any aspirant.”

Oyegun disclosed that the “clean” copy of the delegates' list would be made available to all the aspirants by Wednesday.

“The original list has been in safe custody. Aspirants should please discountenance rumours on issue of many versions of the delegates list,” he added.