By Julius Alabi, Akure
To ensure peace and violence-free governorship election later in the year, the Ondo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ade Adetimehin, has said the party won’t condone the use of thuggery within its fold.
Adetimehin said a party that is diligently serving the people, and positively affecting the economy has no business resorting to violence to win an election.
Speaking when he received a team of political observers from the United States Consulate General office, Lagos, the APC boss assures that the party would ensure a free and transparent governorship primaries for all aspirants.
The party chief told the visitors that the APC, as the only party with viable presence in all the 203 wards of the state, would enjoy ‘a smooth ride to victory’ at the election.
He said: “Why would you need to encourage thuggery in an election you are sure is going to be a walk over for your party?”
“We won’t encourage thuggery; we would rather sell our candidate to the people of Ondo State by reminding them all we have been able to do for them with the mandate they gave us. We don’t believe in violence,” he said.
The chairman said no governorship aspirant has visited the State Working Committee to indicate intention, saying democracy thrives on popular participation.
He commends the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for transforming the State economy with unparalleled attention on road construction.
Adetimehin also applauds the state’s civil servants for being ‘hardworking and focused’, saying the APC-led government won’t have been able to achieve all it did without the cooperation of the engine room.
He said: “We agreed before the election then that we won’t owe workers their salaries. Three years down the line, we have not only been faithful to that; we have gone further to pay six out of the seven months’ salaries we inherited.”
Earlier, leader of the team, Jillian Itharat, a Political Officer at the United States Consulate General office in Lagos, said the team covers political development in the South West.
Itharat explained that the team was in the state to familiarise with political parties, and acquire good knowledge of situation on ground ahead of the election.
