Leaders and critical stakeholders across the 18 local government areas of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ondo State have passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of Hon Isaac Kekemeke as the authentic chairman of the party in the state.
The party stalwarts at the meeting held in Akure on Tuesday also expressed support for the President Muhammad Buhari-led Federal Government and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration in the state “in the interest of APC”.
The party leaders unanimously agreed to grant unconditional amnesty to party members that expressed their grievances by contesting the 2016 governorship election under other parties, following the fallout of the party’s primary election and called for truce within all aggrieved members and forge common front at restoring the glory of the party in Ondo State and Nigeria in general.
“We are very conscious of the need to deliver more votes to President Buhari more than we did in 2015. Although we thank God that we still won the 2016 gubernatorial election but the huge reduction in the votes scored by APC in the election has taught us the need to bring everybody on board for the good of APC in Ondo State. Therefore, all members that left the party in annoyance or became less active in the party because of the fallout of the last gubernatorial election are hereby invited to return home to their party and are hereby granted unconditional amnesty with full rights and privileges as obtained before their brief departure”Kekemeke said.
The state chairman also called on all the major aspirants in the controversial primaries to close ranks in the interest of the parties.
“We are specifically calling on Senator Borroffice, Dr Segun Abraham and Chief Olusola Oke to come out strong for APC henceforth, our disagreements are now in the past and it’s our collective duty to build a vibrant party”. “Who is not proud to have Bola Ilori and the likes of Chief Aiyegbusi in our midst today? These are the conscience of the party the state has known for a long time. We are expecting Chief Olusola Oke, Dr Abraham and many other heavyweights of the party to join hands for the growth of our collective party”
They commended the peaceful conduct of the party chairman, Hon Isaac Kekemeke during the trying period and his doggedness at stabilising the party before and after the 2016 election in the state.
Speaking after the meeting, the senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Professor Ajayi Boroffice, lawmaker representing Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency, Hon Bamidele Baderinwa and Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration, Hon Bola Ilori, all agreed to put their differences behind them and work for the victory of the party in the 2019 general election.
Borofice noted that the meeting became imperative in view of the need to reposition the party ahead of the forthcoming election and make the party formidable.
The senator said: “I can assure that this meeting we started will go a long way in helping the party in its future endeavours. We also repose confidence in the Hon Kekemeke-led executive committee and I am not aware of any other chairman”.
On his part, Baderinwa noted that the meeting was borne out of the need to correct every imbalance being experienced in the APC in Ondo State.
“We will ensure that the interest of party members are prioritized and every member treated accordingly for the betterment of the party “.
Addressing the meeting, Ilori noted that leaders should forget the past and mobilise members, even from the grassroots.
“The election has come and gone, let’s leave all the dramas behind us and look for an avenue to reunite all our members in the best interest of all.
“We have all, one way or the other that we felt hurt on all sides to the controversy, we were aggrieved and genuinely so, but that’s over now, either we like it or not, Governor Akeredolu is using our party, APC ticket, so he remains our governor and we must not let his administration fail in the interest of the party. I say this not because I need an appointment in his government as I already have the highest appointment I could aspire to under his government from another APC government, but our support for the government becomes imperative to bring the enormous number of competent hands that left the party back to support and ensure the success of the government and reduce the current level of complaints against the current APC government in the state ” Ilori said.
He praised the national leaders of the party that have also directed all and sundry back to APC.
The APC leaders also used the meeting which has more than 500 elders and leaders in attendance to express belief in the leadership of the National Leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
