Osun APC guber primary: We’re brothers, let’s unite to win July election -Oyetola tells Aregbesola, others

BLESSING AKOROWOSI, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has extended warm hands of fellowship to his co-contenders in the just-concluded All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election of which he was declared the winner.

The Governor, who swept all the 30 Local Government Areas and Ife-East Area Office in the election, urged members of the party to close ranks and eschew bitterness in all forms.

According to the official results announced, Oyetola polled 222,169 votes to defeat the duo of Mr. Adeoti Moshood Olalekan, former Secretary to the State Government and Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola’s candidate who polled 12,921 votes and Hon. Yusuf Sulaiman Lasun, a former Deputy Speaker, House Representatives, who polled 460 votes.

In his acceptance speech shortly after the he was declared winner by the Election Committee led by the Kwara State Governor, Abdul-Rasak AbdulRahman, Governor Oyetola said the time has come for all the aggrieved members to have a rethink and join hands with him to further strengthen the party and deliver outstanding results at the gubernatorial poll.

He described his victory as a restatement of people’s confidence in his Development Agenda which “hope delivered in 2018 and performance sealed in 2022”.

The Governor further reiterated his administration’s commitment to running all-inclusive, equitable and participatory governance in the State.

Oyetola said: “On this historic occasion of the peaceful conclusion of the primary election and my emergence as the candidate of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun, I give Glory to Almighty God for making it possible.

“Once again, our great party has spoken as a beacon of democracy and as a strong and united channel of development.

“We have jointly made a resolve to continue to redefine governance and re-entrench sustainable democracy. Today’s victory is made possible by the members of our great party who gave us another opportunity to face the people of Osun to seek re-election. The outcome of this primary election is victory for our party and members who have spoken loudly through their votes.

“It is victory for our people who trooped out in large number during our strategic tour of the State to inform them of our intention to seek a second term.

“I thank you all our party members for your constant support, and especially for speaking eloquently today with your massive votes in favour of our administration’s restoration and consolidation agenda.

“With this primary election now concluded, I invite us all to rededicate ourselves and the party to delivering an overwhelming victory at the gubernatorial polls holding on Saturday, 16th July, 2022.

“For me, we are all winners. I, therefore, extend my hand of fellowship to the other two aspirants to join me as we prepare for the July election. We are all brothers. Let’s join hands to build the Osun of our dream.

“Let us close ranks and eschew bitterness in whatever form. Therefore, may I use this opportunity to also ask all our aggrieved members to have a rethink and join hands with us to further strengthen our party and deliver outstanding results at the gubernatorial poll.

“To all our citizens, we thank you for standing by us in the journey of these three years plus. I promise not to let you down in the years ahead.

“As we commence the electioneering campaigns, I urge all contestants across party lines to perform this exercise with utmost decency and not jeopardize the peace and tranquillity our State is noted for. This is the least our people deserve and the beauty democracy requires.”

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