Lagos State Governor and the Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged leaders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State to unite and work for the party’s success in the forthcoming November 16 gubernatorial election.

He appealed to all the party members, particularly all the aggrieved aspirants, to shun acrimony, close ranks, be united, and work for the victory of APC and its gubernatorial candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the next month’s governorship election.

Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke on Sunday during the party’s stakeholders meeting in Akure, Ondo State’s capital.

The meeting was attended by Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), represented by the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Talabi Olatokunbo; APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; National Vice Chairman (South-West), Hon. Isaac Kekemeke; former governorship aspirants; and other party leaders at national and state levels.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the South-West Coordinator of the APC, said Ondo State is very important to the progressives and all hands must be on deck to ensure that it remains within the progressive caucus.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, he, along with other governors and leaders of the party, would work assiduously to bring all members of the party together to form a formidable and indivisible bloc as the party goes into the governorship election in Ondo State, knowing that it is only a united front that can emerge victorious in political contests.

He said, “We have come here as a happy family. As APC family, we have come here to strengthen the party, and none of you will be left behind; nobody will be taken for granted as all of you are important, strategic, and critical in the delivery of our electoral victory on November 16.”

“We have acknowledged yesterday’s Ondo; we are acknowledging today’s Ondo State, and the future is bright for Ondo State. This in-house meeting is to embrace all of us, beg all of us, and for all of us to agree to put whatever we have behind us. What is ahead of us is greater than what is behind us, and that is forward ever, backward never.”

“The future is bright for Ondo. We must agree. We can’t get any leadership support other than this. If we come together, we will win. We are going out for an election; we need everyone in this election. That is why I brought everyone together to come and appeal to you. More than 85 percent of the votes we must get.”

In his address, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, also appealed to all the aggrieved members, particularly those who contested the party’s primary with Governor Aiyedatiwa, to close ranks and work as a team to ensure APC victory in the governorship election.

He said: “We are expecting 90 percent in the election; make sure you know those who are supposed to vote in your units and ensure they are mobilised to come out for the election.”

“We assure you that Tinubu is the best we have, and we must deliver 100 percent in favour of APC in this election and in the South-West region. We assure you we are strategising to take over the two other states in this region.”

Also speaking, Governor Oyebanji urged all party members to remain united to preserve the achievements of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure that APC remains the ruling party in Ondo State.

“We have a duty to ensure the achievement of Akeredolu is not reversed. We have a duty to keep Ondo State in the progressive circle. Coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” he said. 

Governor Aiyedatiwa, who appreciated party leaders and stakeholders for their show of love, unity and commitment, said the gubernatorial election is about moving Ondo forward and therefore appealed for unwavering support to achieve the goal.

Speaking at the event, some of the former APC governorship aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, Mr Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, among others, expressed their commitment to work for APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the gubernatorial poll. 

They said all the aspirants have agreed to work for Governor Aiyedatiwa to ensure that the opposition party does not take over Ondo State.