Amb. Iji visits Ondo state APC Secretariat , presents guber form to Exco
– Steve Ovirih.
Ambassador (Comrade) Olusola Iji, Nigerian Ambassador penipotentiary to Togo and aspirant for the governorship of Ondo state in All Progressives Congress (APC) , has visited the state Secretariat of the party along Oyemekun road in Akure, the state capital, where he presented his expression of interest and nomination form to the state executive of the party led by Eng. Ade Adetimehin.
Among the state working committee of APC who received him were the state Chairman, Eng. Ade
Adetimehin, Mr. Alex Kalejaye, the state PRO and the financial secretary, Mr. Olu Akinbohun. Other top ranking state executive officers of the party at the event were Mr. Rasak Isijola, Mr. Tayo Olutayo, Mr. Atili Dobra, Mr. Bola Lawal and Charles Fagbounka.
In his welcome remark, Eng. Adetimehin thanked Amb. Iji for offering to visit the party executive in Ondo state, describing him as a progressive to the core. He said when Amb. Iji served as the state Chairman of Alliance for Democracy in Ondo state, he was the state welfare secretary, so he had known him for long and can vouch for his democratic credentials.
Eng. Ade Adetimehin said he was told that Amb. Iji asked to meet state executives and when such a big fish asked to meet state Exco, he must have something germain to tell them, thus it is the pleasure of Ondo state All Progressives Congress executive to welcome him to the party Secretariat.
In his response, Amb. Iji said he finds it quite important at this auspicious time to embark on a rescue mission in Ondo state, noting that he started the process by first consulting with party executives across the eighteen local government council, after which he went to Abuja to obtain the expression of interest and governorship nomination form. ” As a party man who understands structure, I am aware of the fact that the first place to go having obtained the form is my state Secretariat because that is the highest apparatus of the party in my state. Hence , my august visit to you , Mr. Chairman and your party executives in Ondo state,” Iji said.
While presenting the governorship form to the state Chairman, Amb.Iji said he has come to solicit the prayer and support of his party , adding that unlike others who have gone to show people in Abuja their form, he is here to tell his state Chairman of his governorship ambition.
Eng. Ade Adetimehin on behalf of the state executive wished Amb. Iji well in his desire to realise his governorship ambition and promised him that Ondo state APC executives will provide a level playing field for all the aspirants.
While speaking with the polity.net at the APC state Secretariat, Amb. Iji said his candidacy will unite the party in Ondo state and as soon as the primaries is over he will reach out to the rank and file of the party, noting that the party cannot go into the governorship election divided.
Amb Iji said he is not unaware of the fact that in states where APC had gone to the guber race without putting their house in order, it ended up losing the election and as a party man with progressive credential, he is poised to bring to the roundtable all divergent opinion and factions in Ondo state APC.
Ambassador Iji maintained that the Legacy group which he headed as the chairman of the Aspirants forum in 2012 ceded the ticket of APC to the incumbent in 2012 governorship election, adding that in 2016, the incumbent, His Excellency Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu clinched APC ticket for the second term.
Iji said on the bases of fairness and equity, the governorship ticket of APC cannot be going to the northern senatorial district for the third time in a row.
Asked on his assessment of Gov. Akeredolu so far, Amb. Iji said Ondo state Governor has faired well in his capacity, noting that governance is a continuum and he has improved on the government of the state from where he had met it, adding that All Progressives Congress in Ondo state will continue to take the state to the next level of development.
