Former NMA president Akeredolu has never supported a candidate

A few weeks before the All Progressives Congress’s governorship primary in Ondo State, Prof. Francis Faduyile, one of the candidates, announced that he will be the state’s next governor in 2025.

Faduyile, a former governor of Nigeria and special health adviser to the late Rotimi Akeredolu, denied that Akeredolu supported a candidate for the position before to his passing. Faduyile is also a past president of the Nigerian Medical Association.

According to The PUNCH, two of the candidates—Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, a front-runner—claimed that the late governor had approved of them for the position of his successor. Faduyile, however, denied any such events having occurred.

Following his meeting with APC State Executive Council members at the party headquarters in Akure on Tuesday, the physician stated that the late Akeredolu never once suggested endorsing any of the candidates.

I work with Aketi (Akeredolu), and I can tell you with certainty that he has no favorite candidate, the man stated. I was present at every state executive council meeting, with the exception of one, and he never publicly stated that he was in favor of anyone. I’m not sure what he does in his bedroom or sitting room, but if he has done something inappropriate, he ought to let his cabinet members know.

“For those claiming to have received an endorsement, congratulations! But recognition comes with effort. Even if God has given me his blessing, I won’t give up because I’m working for it and I think that everything is possible with him. It requires work on our part.

The candidate said that he was visiting the state party executives to officially inform them of his aspirations, and he was hopeful that they would support him.

“I have decided to come forward and notify the party’s state executive committee that I am running for office. I will also begin my tour of local government to enlist the party’s support in order to run as the APC’s candidate in the upcoming election in November.

We had a discussion with the state executive council, and I’m glad to report that they were open to our desire and expressed a great deal of interest in the manner we put forth our case for how we wanted to see improvements made in Ondo State. “I am confident that we will emerge triumphant at the conclusion of the entire electoral process,” he declared.

According to The PUNCH, the APC’s national secretariat has scheduled the state governorship primary on April 25, 2024, and set aside N50 million for the candidates’ expressions of interest and nomination forms.