Yabagi Sani, the National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), has denied its candidate, Prince Martin Kunle Olateru-Olagbegi, has dropped from the Ondo governorship election race.
Reports had emerged that Prince Martin Kunle Olateru-Olagbegi had stepped down for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede, ahead of the October 10 election.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, on Tuesday, the ADP chairman accused the party’s detractors of sponsoring the speculations aimed at disenfranchising party supporters.
Sani said, “I wish to draw your attention to a malicious statement sponsored by some self-seeking political jobbers, who purportedly reported that the ADP alongside nine other participating political parties has withdrawn from the governorship race in Ondo State to support the PDP candidate.
“Our candidate, Prince Martin Kunle Olateru-Olagbegi, a loyal party member, patriotic Nigerian and an international figure, is still very much in the race to occupy the Oduduwa House, come 10th October, 2020 by the grace of God.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has sassured that the Saturday governorship election in the state will be peaceful.
He stated this on Tuesday in Akure, the state capital, while signing a peace accord alongside the candidates of other parties in the election.
Akeredolu, who described Ondo people as peace loving, said the election will be peaceful for as long as security agencies are there.
The Ondo governor also disclosed that the 2020 governorship election will be the last election he would contest in.
Akeredolu said, “This won’t be our first election, at least for me. This will be the third time around that I will be contesting in the state. And this will be the third and last time that I will be contesting an election in Ondo State.
“We went through elections in the last two occasions, all of us operating has brothers. I cannot recollect any violence in those two elections. But if we have one or two issues here and there, it is not to say that Ondo people are violent. Ondo State people, maybe learning from experience, have refused to be involved in violence. Elections here have always been peaceful”
