By Deji Abdulwahab
Abuja – Mr Olusola Oke, one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, has pledged to focus on rural development if elected as governor in the Oct. 10 poll.
Oke said this on Tuesday at a news conference shortly after he submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
“Since 1976 when the state was created, no attention was given to the rural areas and it is in these rural areas that wealth resides.
“The coastal resources, mineral resources, human resources and agricultural resources are all in these rural areas.
“I want to bring about a new change. For this to materialise, our party must do the right thing,” Oke said.
He urged the party to provide a level playing field for all the aspirants.
“APC will win election anytime, any day, provided we do the right thing and the right thing to do is a primary that will be free and transparent to all concerned.
” There is no way indirect primaries can take place in Ondo state today.
” Article 13 of the APC is clear on it that if you want to do an indirect primary, you must convey a special congress to constitute electoral college to elect the delegates.
“But because of time constraint, the only option open for our party is to do direct primaries like we have just had in Edo State which we went peacefully,” he said.
Oke said that he joined the governorship race to bring about needed change and save the APC from sliding into opposition in the state.
“My intervention this time is for two reasons. The first one is to save the APC in Ondo state from sliding into opposition because with the turn of the event in that state today, if there is no intervention, only God will save our party.
“It cannot be said that somebody like me is in that party and in my presence, the party will sleep off. So, I’m intervening to stop the problem.
“We lost two senatorial seats, five House of Representatives seats and above it all, the presidential election in Ondo state was lost to the dying Peoples Democratic Party.
“All I can do with my other compatriots is to rise to the challenge.
“Despite all the hopes given in our mantra of change, our people are disappointed and in order for them not to vet the anger against our party, I have to step forward as one that is familiar with the terrain.
“I spent all my life with them, I have been part of their sufferings, I think I can be the instrument to bring about the needed change,” he said.
(NAN)
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