Why Akeredolu won reelection in Ondo

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s reelection is a testimony of people’s belief in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the country.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said this while speaking with journalists at the presidential wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, on arrival to Lagos from Ondo State.

Mr Sanwo-Olu was the chairman of the APC Campaign Council constituted by the party’s national leadership to lead the second term campaign of Mr Akeredolu (SAN).

APC won the governorship contest with 292,830 votes, defeating its closest rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which garnered 195,780 votes.

He said that the success of his task in Ondo State was a promise fulfilled to his political party.

According to him, the APC candidate in the election deserved the victory, having achieved most of his campaign promises in the first term.

”I am personally excited, as Chairman of the APC Campaign Council in the Ondo State election, that the candidate who emerged victorious in the election is our candidate.

”Having visited the state prior to the electioneering, I can confirm that Arakunrin Akeredolu has really worked and he is currently working for the people to deserve this victory.

”People call Akeredolu a talk-and-do governor, meaning whatever he promises, he delivers, whether in terms of infrastructure or general development in Ondo State.

”Based on his track record in governance, our candidate was an easier product to sell in the election.

“So, we fought a good fight in the exercise. At the end of the day, Ondo people spoke through the ballot and they have spoken well,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the outcome of the election reflected the will of the Ondo people, who were the sole winner that emerged from the election.

He said that APC went into the contest with the intention to unite and not to divide the people of the state, as the party saw the outcome as ”no victor, no vanquished”.

The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the needed leadership and creating an enabling environment for the people to choose their leaders without violence.

He said that in spite of pockets of skirmishes that tainted the process, the exercise was largely free, fair and credible.

Mr Sanwo-Olu also commended the national leadership of APC and governors who supported the effort to return Akeredolu for the second term.

”The victory in Ondo State is a demonstration that people still believe in the leadership being provided by our party across the country.

”We accept the outcome of the election with humility. This victory is not to be solely attributed to one person, but to the entire members of the APC campaign team, which I was chosen to be leader,” he said.

(NAN)