From ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja
The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has told the aggrieved aspirants for the Ondo governorship election under its platform that there is nothing wrong for any member of the party or anybody to endorse any of the aspirants, stressing that the party would however ensure a level playing field favourable to all the aspirants.
The build up to the Ondo State governorship primary has been laced with controversy over the speculated endorsement of a particular candidate by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, resulting in an aspirant petitioning the national secretariat of the party.
Speaking to journalists after several hours meeting with all the aspirants at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, assured them that the party had no preferred aspirant and would not impose any of the aspirants on others both at national and state level.
His words: “We want to publicly pay tribute to all the aspirants for the Ondo State governorship here for the very prompt response to our invitation. Your presence show your commitment to ensure that the state returns to the fold of progressive party.
“We have had extensive and frank discussions at the end of the day. We have reached a basic and fundamental understanding and consensus for the way forward for the party in the state.
“We have all arrived at a consensus that there is nothing wrong in anybody in the party endorsing any aspirant. We have also accepted that there will be no attempt on the party to impose any aspirant on others or on the party and on the electorate of the state.
“Let me state it categorically that the party at the national level will not have any preferred candidate and will not endorse any aspirant. They are all equal before the national leadership of the party. We are going to be as impartial as humanly possible.
“Similarly, the state chapter of the party must not be seen as partial and cannot be seen as attempting to impose any aspirant on others and cannot also endorse any aspirant because of that secret trust handed over to them.
“We are a party blazing a new trail in internal democracy. To make clear again, the party has no preferred aspirant either at state or national level. It is left for the delegates to indicate who their choice will be.
“We have also promised to make a clean copy of the delegate list latest by Wednesday. We have been given assurance that the original list is in safe custody. The aspirants should discountenance the speculation of the many of the copies in circulation.”