5:03:00 pm
Ondo State governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu has given reasons why
he did not acknowledge national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu in his acceptance speech on Sunday.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari alongside his deputy and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, he said the party structure is clear on the leadership of the party and the President covers all the leaders of the party.
He expressed appreciation to the President for showing leadership leading to this election while at the same time thanking the chairman of the APC, John Oyegun for standing by the truth and for his position on this matter that led to this election.
He said, "You see, party structures to the best of my knowledge is very clear. You have the leadership of the party and that is represented by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. And after the election, a chief executive emerges, he becomes a leader of the party.
"You don't have to personalise and be looking for leaders all over the place. If we have to do
that the I will have to mention 36 or 37 leaders. So I believe the leadership as represented by the president covers all leaders and that tells me it would include Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande, Onu, so many leaders.
But president Buhari is the leader of the party so that is my position there." On his relationship with Tinubu, he said it has always been the same and no strain whatsoever in their relationship. "For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the party and I don't see any strain relationship between us.
And you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory message after the election, so what else do you expect?" He added. The governor -elect pointed out his victory at the polls is for the APC, not for Akaredolu, as an individual but for the party as a whole.
On his part, Governor Lalong who was the chairman of the Ondo election for the APC said he has
completed his assignment and came to brief the president. He asserted that "Yes before I left for Akure the last I told you was that by God's grace we are going to deliver Aketi as the next governor and my joy was being part of this crusade to move the people of Akure away from politics of opposition to the mainstream and God answered my prayers.
"Secondly my assignment has not finished,after delivering Aketi I still have the responsibility to
come back finish my report and hand over to the appropriate authorities, all I was coming to do at the Villa was to inform the President that I am about rounding up my assignment and to submit my final report.
he did not acknowledge national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu in his acceptance speech on Sunday.
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| Tinubu & Akeredolu |
He expressed appreciation to the President for showing leadership leading to this election while at the same time thanking the chairman of the APC, John Oyegun for standing by the truth and for his position on this matter that led to this election.
He said, "You see, party structures to the best of my knowledge is very clear. You have the leadership of the party and that is represented by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. And after the election, a chief executive emerges, he becomes a leader of the party.
"You don't have to personalise and be looking for leaders all over the place. If we have to do
that the I will have to mention 36 or 37 leaders. So I believe the leadership as represented by the president covers all leaders and that tells me it would include Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would include even Baba Akande, Onu, so many leaders.
But president Buhari is the leader of the party so that is my position there." On his relationship with Tinubu, he said it has always been the same and no strain whatsoever in their relationship. "For me as a person, I believe he is one of the leaders of the party and I don't see any strain relationship between us.
And you would observe that he has sent in his congratulatory message after the election, so what else do you expect?" He added. The governor -elect pointed out his victory at the polls is for the APC, not for Akaredolu, as an individual but for the party as a whole.
On his part, Governor Lalong who was the chairman of the Ondo election for the APC said he has
completed his assignment and came to brief the president. He asserted that "Yes before I left for Akure the last I told you was that by God's grace we are going to deliver Aketi as the next governor and my joy was being part of this crusade to move the people of Akure away from politics of opposition to the mainstream and God answered my prayers.
"Secondly my assignment has not finished,after delivering Aketi I still have the responsibility to
come back finish my report and hand over to the appropriate authorities, all I was coming to do at the Villa was to inform the President that I am about rounding up my assignment and to submit my final report.
