Visit: Olusola Oke backtracks, says Ondo state has elected governor

A leading governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, has backtracked on his statement that there was no elected governor in the state, Thefrontrank reports.

Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had on Monday while addressing members of the APC State Working Committee at the party secretariat in Akure, said: “We don’t have a Governor that was elected, we only have a Governor that became a Governor by reason of demise of Akeredolu.”

However, the two-time governorship candidate in the state said that his statement was taken out of context and “a misinformation and misrepresentation of facts” about his visit to the APC secretariat.

Oke in a statement titled Re-Visit of Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, to APC Secretariat signed by Ojo Oyewamide, Spokesperson for Olusola Oke Campaign Council, on Tuesday, said he never sought to denigrate the office of the governor of Ondo State.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Campaign Council of Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, has been called to the misinformation and misrepresentation of facts arising from the impressive visit of the council to the secretariat of the Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure on Monday, March 11th, 2024.

“While commending the teaming supporters of Chief Olusola Oke for coming out massively to demonstrate their love for this unique leader with extraordinary positive attributes, it is important to educate members of the public on the interpretations given to three major aspects of the programme.

“Firstly, we like to state, very categorically, that what we had was a visitation to the party secretariat to inform members of the State Working Committee about the governorship aspiration of Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, before going to the local government areas, wards and units. It was not a declaration as widely reported.

“It is worthy of note that the formal declaration of Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, to contest the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo state will happen in due course.

“Similarly, may we call the attention of the public to the fact that Chief Bailey Arohunmolase is the Acting Director General of the Olusola Oke Campaign Council and not His Excellency, Alhaji Alli Olanusi, former deputy governor of the state, as represented in the media.

“For whatever it is worth, the Olusola Oke Campaign Council is amazed at the reading given to the statement made by Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, that he purportedly claimed that there is no elected governor in Ondo state.

“It is mostly uncharitable that some people would mischievously feel that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria of the status and soundness of Chief Olusola Oke would have made such a conjecture. He never sought to denigrate the office of the governor of Ondo state.

“Given the necessity for clarification, the good people of Ondo state and the general public are kindly invited to note that the intention and presentation of Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, was to the effect that since the former governor, Late Arakunrin Akeredolu, SAN, CON, was no longer around, and the present governor is an aspirant like others, the state party chairman should play the role of a leader to all aspirants and ensure peaceful conducts of aspirants and their supporters during campaigns for votes in the primary.

“According to Chief Olusola Oke, that will inevitably produce the cordiality needed for the candidate of the party in the general election.

“Chief Oke, SAN, was referring to the complaints made by his supporters regarding the ugly incident that happened during the recent visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state.

“His thought, flowing from the complaints, was that since the governor is an aspirant and the elected governor that all the party members and leaders worked for, who could call all aspirants together, is no more, Chief Olusola Oke called on the state chairman to ensure there is peace.

“The Campaign Council is confident of the emergence of its candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, in the forthcoming primary election of the APC. He will sure require the support of all members and leaders of our dear party, including His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, in winning the general election, and realising his aspiration of serving the good people of the Sunshine state and positively impacting humanity.”