Ondo election: Rigging, not part of our plans - APC tells Wike

Ahead of the forthcoming Ondo governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a stern warning to the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike.

A report by The Nation indicated that the party said it will continue to appeal to the people of the state to renew the mandate given Governor Rotimi Akeredolu four years ago, considering its efforts to reposition the state.

The APC stressed that it would not resort to rigging as alleged by Governor Wike.

Reacting to a statement credited to Wike, which alleged that the APC in the state had perfected plans to rig the governorship election, the party's publicity secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, said such a statement could only emanate from a man who never believed that elections could be won without crude intimidation, violence, and rigging.

He noted that decency in politics and thoughts of the transparent election are alien to the likes of Wike.

Kalejaiye said: “APC in Ondo State has no reason to contemplate rigging in a state where it has won the confidence of the people on account of performance and integrity.

“For the benefits of Mr Wike, we are banking on the popularity of our candidate, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, that of his running mate, Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa, and the projects APC led government has initiated and executed in less than four years. He stated further that the APC has constructed bridges, roads, and schools; set up industrial hubs at Ore, activated bitumen production.

“We have recorded unprecedented intervention in agriculture, and are currently pursuing, with uncommon vigour, building a deep seaport in the Southern Senatorial District, to boost the economy of Ondo state."

He said APC has a presence in all the 18 local government areas, and therefore, not going into the election as a party with a senatorial base.