JUST IN: Aiyedatiwa declares ahead of APC primary that he has nothing to fear

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Thursday downplayed the threat posed by the fifteen governorship candidates fighting for the All Progressives Congress ticket ahead of the primary election on April 20.

After submitting his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to the APC national secretariat in Abuja, Aiyedatiwa had a conversation with media.

The governor will face off against Jimoh Ibrahim, a senator from the Ondo South district; Olusola Oke, a prominent member of the APC; Prof. Francis Faduyile, a former president of the Nigerian Medical Association; Dr. Funmi Waheed-Adekojo; and Isaac Kekemeke, the vice chairman of the APC for the South West.

The others are Morayo Lebi, Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan, Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Akinfolarin Samuel, Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Okunjimi Odimayo, Adewale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema, and Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide.

However, Aiyedatiwa stated that he was still the candidate to defeat ahead of the shadow vote and that he was unafraid of his rivals.

He said, “I am aware we have 15 other aspirants jostling for this same office. They are also eminently qualified. Let me say here that I respect all of them. But we know ourselves. They have been around. We know who they are and what they can do. They are illustrious sons and daughters of the land. But I can tell you there is nothing to fear.

“I can tell you the people of Ondo State know what and who they want. As I said, the youth, women, traders, farmers, artisans, and Ondo workers are all calling for me to continue. Those are the people who will determine who will win the election. I have no fear because they are already speaking. In fact, they have spoken. So there is nothing to fear.

“In the last few years, I have acted in the capacity of deputy governor and acting governor in 2021 and 2023. Now, I am the governor. I am just about 100 days in the office today or tomorrow. I have just about three months in office.

“My desire to contest was in response to the yearning and aspiration of my people. The artisans, women, students, and traditional rulers want me to continue as governor of the state. They have observed and identified that within a short period of my assumption in office. They could see all I have done in the office in three months. Based on that, they demanded across all the local governments that I should continue as governor of the state. And I cannot do that without going through the process.”