Why I should be retained as Governor –  Akeredolu

Ondo State Governor, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, on Saturday charged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain him as its candidate in next year’s governorship election if it desires to continue ruling the state.

The governor told journalists in Abuja that he is the only person with the pedigree and charisma to secure huge votes for the party in the election.

Akeredolu said people of Ondo State would always stand with him because of his achievements, adding that people persuaded him to become the governor of the state in 2017.

He said: “I didn’t ask to become governor of Ondo State; the people sought me out to be their leader. As far as I am concerned power belongs to God and not to any man or leader. It is God who gives power and not any human being. That was why I ran and won the primary of the last governorship election in Ondo State without paying people money as other contestants did.

“I can tell you that there is no threat or panic whatsoever to my second term election. What I do know for sure is that if APC goes ahead to pick another person as their governorship candidate for Ondo State the party would lose the state.

“But with me on the ballot, we will win a landslide for APC in Ondo State. That is certain because God’s hands are with me and I cannot fail in my second term bid. My trust is in God and not in any man with clay feet.”

Akeredolu, who became governor of Ondo State in 2017, was suspended alongside four others by the party in 2019 for alleged anti-party activities.

The APC National Working Committee (NWC) in December same year lifted the suspension as part of the ongoing reconciliatory process in the party.