Akintelure, prior to his demise, had raised worries about both direct and indirect threats to his life
By Kehinde Okeowo
An All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant in Ondo State, Paul Akintelure, has passed away.
His demise comes as the build-up to the Ondo governorship election gathers momentum.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Alex Kalejaiye, confirmed the news of his death on Tuesday morning
He said: “It is true, I can confirm it. We would issue a statement about it shortly.”
Akintelure previously ran as the deputy governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with late Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu against Olusegun Mimiko, the then Labour Party incumbent, who won the election.
The politician, who is a medical doctor from Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state had before that lost a senatorial contest to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
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Prior to his demise, Akintelure, who is one of the frontline governorship aspirants in the state, had raised worries about both direct and indirect threats to his life.
He, however, expressed hope that the situation would improve over time.
Speaking on Thursday, March 21, Akintelure said: “Initially, I hope these incidents would dissipate over time, yet regrettably, they have escalated to pose a serious threat to my life.
“The threats against me only strengthen my resolve to stand up for what is right and just. I will not allow fear to dictate our path forward.
“Let us embrace peace, progress, and unity. Our collective strength lies in our standing together as one, regardless of our differences.”