Senior Pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa has appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to step down for one of the prominent governorship aspirants on the platform of All Progressives Congress(APC) Chief Olusola Oke.
The cleric appealed to the incumbent governor that the development of the state should come first before anybody’s political ambition.
Governor Aiyedatiwa and Oke are among prominent personalities vying for the governorship ticket of APC in the party’s primaries coming up between April 6 and 27 next month as fixed by Independent
National Electoral Commission(INEC).
Chief Olusola Oke a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had contested for the governorship seat twice and looking into becoming the standard bearer of APC in the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election in the state.
Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, had a couple of months ago declared that there won’t be automatic ticket for the incumbent governor and no fewer than 20 members of the party havr declared interest in the party’s governorship ticket.
Pastor Giwa on Saturday told journalists in Akure, the state capital, that he never believed, until now that someone like Governor Aiyedatiwa would contest against his kinsman, Chief Olusola Oke.
He said: “Honestly, I never believed it until now that Governor Aiyedatiwa is contesting against his brother, Chief Olusola Oke.
“I was a journalist in the state, and I should be able to tell you who has knowledge, capacity, and experience to lead the people of Ondo State.
“Oke has been on the ground since 1999 when he was elected as a federal lawmaker. A former NDDC Commissioner who represented Ondo State well in 2002.
“There was no local government area in Ondo State that his administration didn’t touch in terms of electricity and health centres.
“Going by the current situation in Ondo State in terms of poverty and misgovernance, the people of the state need the most experienced, generous, and accommodating politician like Chief Oke.
“I have known Chief Oke way before 1999, and I can authoritatively tell you, the good people of Ondo State that he won’t disappoint you.
“Hon. Aiyedatiwa has a right under our constitution to contest. However, he must remember that the development of the state comes first before ambition.
“Let me appeal to him to step down for his brother, with whom they both come from the same area. Oke has suffered politically enough to be cheated and pushed over.
“In fact, I expect the APC to offer him the governorship ticket unopposed. Oke has paid his dues.
“I don’t think Ondo State deserves to suffer again in the hands of inexperienced politicians.”