Aiyedatiwa to receive APC certificate of return today

The ruling All Progressives Congress will present the winner of the Ondo governorship primary election, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, with his certificate of return on Monday.

The party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Duru, disclosed this to PUNCH Online on Sunday.

“Yes, the presentation of the certificate to Governor Aiyedatiwa will take place tomorrow (Monday) at the national secretariat in Abuja,” he told our reporter.

Duru did not, however, state whether it will take place before, during or after the meeting of the National Working Committee, which will also be held on Monday.

The development comes three days after the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, appealed to aggrieved aspirants who participated in the shadow poll to back the governor to have a united front ahead of the November 16 governorship poll.

Ayiedatiwa was declared the winner by Governor Usman Ododo-led Primary Election Committee on Sunday after the poll conducted in all the 18 local government areas of the state.

But the result was contested over allegations of irregularities and violence in some polling units.

Consequently, the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and five other aspirants filed petitions challenging Aiyedatiwa’s victory.

Others were Olusola Oke, Folakemi Omogoroye, Olugbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, and Wale Akinterinwa.

They also demanded the cancellation of the governorship primary and the conduct of a fresh primary.