Governor Rotimi Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has appreciated the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Aborigines for the confidence he reposed in his leadership and endorsed his gubernatorial aspirations.
Aiyedatiwa said the endorsement of the leaders of the party showed the commitment of the leaders to the development of the party and the state.
The governor said, “We believe our performance will always speak for us, and we will continue to do our best for the state and will not encourage distractions.
“I want to appreciate your belief in me. You have endorsed my continuation in office because we executed people-oriented programmes and policies.
“I am sure this is not an easy task for you but you have shown the zeal to join the train of development in the state. I appreciate you and I am promising you that I will not disappoint you over your choice in me.
Highlighting the significance of their endorsement in line with the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Aiyedatiwa emphasised the importance of continuity to uphold the legacy of former Governor, Late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.
The Governor said he accepted the endorsement with humility and a sense of responsibility, vowing to rededicate himself to the collective goal of building a more prosperous Ondo State.
“Let me say that your open, transparent and credible endorsement of my candidature is an honour, not just for me but also for fellow contestants and the APC family in
Ondo State.
“What you have done is put our great Party on the path of victory in the impending gubernatorial election in
our Sunshine State.”
The pioneer leaders of the party, the APC Aborigines, announced Aiyedatiwa as their preferred candidate on Tuesday ahead of the party’s primary and November governorship elections.
The endorsement came during a meeting of the group led by Sola Iji, former ambassador to Togo, in Akure, where the group adopted the candidature of the governor.
Leaders of the party at the event included former Deputy Leader of the Senate, Prof. Ajayi Borrofice, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, Dr. Taiwo Malumi, Mrs. Grace Animola, Alhaji Yinusa Adeola, and Hon. Akinsehinde Awodeyi-Apata.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ambassador Iji said that following the establishment of a nine-member committee, three aspirants were recommended after the screening, and out of the three, Governor Aiyedatiwa scored the highest mark of 777 and was thus adopted as the preferred candidate of the group.
He said the leadership unanimously agreed to select Governor Aiyedatiwa based on the set criteria, including popularity, acceptability, financial capability, character, integrity, loyalty, commitment, educational background, and assessments by prominent leaders.
“After thorough discussions and careful consideration, the leadership collectively agreed to extend their endorsement to Governor Aiyedatiwa.
“This decision was not made lightly; rather, it was the culmination of a comprehensive assessment. This rigorous evaluation process underscores our commitment to selecting the most qualified candidate to lead us forward.”
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