Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State on Tuesday acknowledged that a scuffle broke out among supporters of aspirants for party positions at the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Akure.
This is even as the state braced for the conduct of ward congresses across 203 wards on Wednesday, assuring that the incident was swiftly brought under control by the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The governor made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting he personally convened at the party secretariat in Akure, which was attended by party chieftains from across the state’s three senatorial districts and members of congress committees dispatched from the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
The Ward Congress Committee, led by Chief Margaret Aruruenu as Chairman and Barrister Smart Iheazor as Secretary, briefed party leaders on the state of preparations for Wednesday’s exercise, with both officials assuring the gathering that all committees would discharge their responsibilities strictly in accordance with the party’s guidelines and constitution.
Members of three other national committees, the Screening Committee, Screening Appeals Committee, and Congress Appeals Committee, were equally present at the meeting, underscoring the national leadership’s keen interest in the outcome of proceedings in the South-West state.
Three party leaders, speaking on behalf of their respective zones, called for calm and pledged orderly participation.
Barrister Tolu Babaleye of the Northern Senatorial District, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde of the Central Senatorial District, and Hon. Ola Oguntimehin of the Southern Senatorial District all commended the peaceful conduct of the preceding screening exercise and gave assurances that their constituents would conduct themselves with decorum throughout Wednesday’s congress.
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, also lent his voice to the calls for peace, commending the committees for their efforts and expressing confidence that the exercise would be conducted without incident across all wards.
In his goodwill message, Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed appreciation to members of the Screening and Screening Appeals Committees for the transparency and professionalism with which they handled their assignments.
He urged the Congress and Congress Appeals Committees to uphold the same standard of integrity as they proceed with Wednesday’s exercise across the 203 wards in the state.
The governor further reaffirmed his personal commitment to peace and stability, both within Ondo State and the APC as a political family, even as security agencies remained on alert ahead of the congress.
Other party leaders at the meeting included Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, former Senator Ayo Akinyelure, former House of Representatives members Hon. Ade Adeogun and Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye, as well as members of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
