Bola Ilori: PDP is finished in Ondo, APC will take over in 2016

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Bola Ilori, has suggested ways on how the party could win the 2016 governorship election in the Sunshine State.
Ilori, a former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on Environmental Sanitation, said for the APC to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, the party must allow free primaries to hold among the aspirants.
Ilori spoke at the weekend while being honoured for various successes and growth of the party in the constituency as the leader of APC in Ondo West/East federal constituency by APC stakeholders.
A leader of the party and former Local Government Chairman of Ondo East Local Government, Otunba Agboola Kelly, speaking at the well attended event, said: “We are impressed about the contribution of Bola Ilori to the party over the years. He has also launched a major campaign for recruitment into the party and reconciliation for many weeks now. That is why we are honouring him on our own as our leader. We organised this on our own.
“We are also using this occasion to appreciate the loyalty of party delegates at the various primaries of the party without demanding for money. In fact, all our delegates surrendered through Hon Bola Ilori to the party all the U.S. dollars given to them by one of the presidential aspirants at the last APC presidential convention and they were commended by the State Chairman, Isaacs Kekemeke. We, the stakeholders, feel we should honour them too,” the former chairman said.
The event was attended by a member of the APC Board of Trustee, High Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Mrs Folake Omojuwa, a former BOT member of defunct ANPP, Captain Ademola Ariyo (rtd), APC Chairman Ondo East, Mr. Ola Inukan and majority of all National and state delegates of the party in Ondo Federal Constituency among others.
Ilori said: “I am very sure Mimiko will not produce his own successor. Anyway, there is no third term and we are set for the election.
“For us, winning the presidential election in the state is a sign that we have good structures in the state. By this, we are serving the governor a quit notice that our party is ready to take over.
“We are getting more people on our side on everyday, we are winning the traditional institution, winning the social institution and we are active and ready. The momentum of change is heavy in Ondo and for that, we are quite sure that we are set to win.
“It is over for PDP in Ondo. If you look at Ondo town where the governor hails from, you will know that PDP is no more popular.
“We are also going to ensure we don’t make mistakes. At this point in time, we are assuring our party members that there will be primaries for the governorship. There will, however, be proper scrutiny by our National leaders of who will be the candidate of the party to check for credibility, loyalty to party ideals and popularity. All of these will guide the final decision of who we will support,” Ilori concluded.