…as APC PWDs passes vote of confidence to Tinubu, Ganduje’s leadership
By Joy Odor
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday presented the Certificate of Return to Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa as the winner of the April 20 primaries for the Nov.16 Ondo State governorship election.
Presenting the certificate to Gov. Ayedatiwa at the National Secretariat of the party, Abuja APC National Chairman informed that Ayiedatiwa’s continuity as Governor of Ondo State will bring about unprecedented development that would record a landslide victory at Nov.16 election.
“If you talk about governance, there is no better sequence than what I have outlined. Ondo state will witness unprecedented development because of this sequence of continuity.
“Today I’m very happy because we are presenting a Certificate of Return to our governorship candidate in the Ondo State election. And coincidentally, he was a deputy governor, he was an acting governor, he’s a governor today, and he will be a governor tomorrow.
“So, in the name of Allah I have the privilege to present this Certificate of Return to His Excellency, Mr. Very Lucky Aiyedatiwa” he noted.
In his speech after receiving the certificate, Gov Ayedatiwa thanked President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shetima the party’s leadership, members of its National Working Committee (NWC) and the state’s stakeholders for their commitment to keep the party united.
He commended the aspirants who contested in the April 20, primaries for being good sportsmen and women while extending a hand of fellowship to the aspirants, saying, “We’re all winners.
Ayedatiwae assured an inclusive government if returned as the state’s next governor and promised not to forget the level of support he got from the party’s members and the state’s entire community during his tour ahead of the primary.
“It was a successful exercise because we were able to produce a flag bearer and the 16 of us that went into the contest are all winners. I want to also appreciate them for the understanding they have shown for being good sportsmen and women.
“Today the entire process has just been completed with this presentation of Certificate of Return, and I hereby accept this nomination after being elected and returned as the candidate of our party in the governorship election in Ondo State coming up on the 16th of November, 2024.
“Though there were complaints and petitions after the primary from some aspirants who contested the party’s ticket with him, they were all currently on the same page.
“We all looked at the issues and are today on the same page, we are all winners but one flag bearer” he stressed.
Contributing, the State Chairmen of the party, Ade Adetimehin said Ondo will remain united going into the November 16th governorship election.
“From today, we will go home and stay united, and do the party proud come November 16th. It is our collective responsibility to work together and make the party proud.
Earlier, the Deputy National Chairman who doubles as the Chairman of Ondo State gubernatorial primary, Emma Enekwu said the party’s national working committee after a painstaking deliberation had endorsed the appeal committee’s report and ratified the primary election outcome.
Recall that the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim, former Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa and three other aspirants who lost in the primary election filed petitions before the Abubakar led appeals committee over the outcome of the election.
Other petitioners are House of Representatives member, Jimi Odimayo, Folakemi Omogoroye and Barrister Gbenga Edema.
The aspirants kicked against the process of the exercise, noting that the whole process was marred with irregularities and fell short of appreciable standards.
Similarly, the APC Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) passed vote of confidence to the leadership of President Tinubu and the party’s Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
They praised the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for touching the lives of vulnerable Nigerians through her Renewed Hope Initiative across the country.
The APC National leader of PWDs, Hon Tolu Bankole speaking on behalf of the PWDs during a solidarity visit to the National Chairman of the party
Bankole advocate for the total passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act by the remaining state to guarantee a new lease of life for PWDs in Nigeria.
“Mr President can count on us as loyal party members that we will support his administration and our PWDs friendly National Chairman to guarantee internal cohesion in our party as he takes on the onerous task of ensuring that disability does not become inability for us.
“Permit me to commend the Renewed Hope Initiative of Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu which is targeting PWDs and other vulnerable segment of the society. Our governors and national assembly members have all shown commitment to alleviating the plights of PWDs.
“Six years after the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, only 13 states have demonstrated measures to domesticate the Act. They include Lagos, Anambra, Ekiti, Ondo, Plateau, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara and the FCT.
“We call on the state governments who are yet to domesticate fully the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, to do so without further delay and establish Disability Commission as enshrined in the Act. This is important because failure in this regard is tacit endorsement of discrimination and other harmful practices against Persons With Disabilities”.
“Your Excellency Sir, this is our first meeting with you as Persons With Disabilities, PWDs since your assumption of office as the National Chairman of our great party.
“Thus, it is apt to use this visit to say publicly that PWDs is better under His Excellency Abdullahi Ganduje than any previous party administration.
“Let me also use this medium to pledge the support of all clusters of APC PWDs in Nigeria and in diaspora to Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose Renewed Hope policies are beginning to birth a paradigm shift from a country for the highs and the mighties to a country where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody. From an import dependent economy to a self sufficient economy” he noted.
While receiving the PWDs delegations, Ganduje appealed to Nigerians to bear with the seeming difficult policies of the Tinubu led government saying that it was occasioned by the neglect and policy summersaults of the past administrations.
He pledged to deploy skill development as a way to change the fortunes of Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria.
