Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has described the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State as a major concern for the All Progressives Congress, APC, noting that the party cannot afford to lose the election.
Oyetola disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the APC Southwest caucus meeting in Osogbo.
He said the Southwest caucus met to decide on the urgent need to rally support for the re-election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the candidate of the party in the October governorship election in Ondo State.
The APC caucus in the zone also discussed the need to strategically position the zone ahead of the party’s national convention expected to hold after the Edo and Ondo governorship elections respectively.
In attendance were the party chairmen of the six states in the Southwest and other members of the APC caucus in the zone.
Oyetola maintained that part of the strategies discussed was to reach out to all the aggrieved members of the party in all the states of the Southwest. He said the party planned to appeal to them to put the party’s interests above their respective personal interests for the party to progress.
The governor said, “We had a successful deliberation on various issues. First of all was the opportunity the meeting afforded us to fully brief members on the matters on the agenda of the national caretaker committee of the party, of which I’m the representative of the Southwest zone.
“The briefing is necessary to enable us to reposition the Southwest strategically ahead of the national convention to hold in six months’ time.
“We also discussed the need to immediately reach out to members that are aggrieved for necessary reconciliation and ensure victory of our party in the coming governorship election in Ondo.
“Of course, the party’s victory in Edo is our concern but our immediate focus is on Ondo, being one of the Southwest states. That we lost Oyo is painful. We can’t afford to lose Ondo. We are happy that the primary has been successfully conducted and a candidate has emerged.
“While we need to do everything possible to take Oyo back, we must rally support for our candidate to ensure victory for our party in Ondo.
“So, we discussed the need to work together to collectively appeal to the aggrieved parties. All should put party’s interest above personal interests.
“We also discussed the need to ensure reconciliation of members in all the states,” Oyetola said.
