Following the reactions that have continued to trail the Ondo State APC guber primary State, a former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Olabimtan, in this interview with Hakeem Gbadamosi, speaks on the development and other issues.
THERE are controversies surrounding the conduct of the April 20 governorship primary of the APC in the state, with many of the aspirants kicking against the conduct of the election and claiming there was no primary. What’s your take on this?
I don’t think there’s need for this question because we were all in this state and I can confirm that the primary election of APC took place. Those who are claiming there was no primary, I wouldn’t know where they got their information from, because all the people of the state can testify to this, even INEC. There was primary election of APC in the state on the 20th of April, 2024.
Everybody went to their ward and cast their votes. At times, I am amazed at the attitude of some people even when they knew that the election actually took place. Election should not be a do or die affair. If they did not get it, must they destroy the party? But I want to assure you that as of today, there is only one aggrieved aspirant and that is Jimoh Ibrahim. Every other person had agreed with the outcome of the primary election of the party, even though all of them had their grievances but they believe the party is supreme and party supremacy had taken place and they have embraced this but it’s only Jimoh Ibrahim that is still going all about claiming there was no election. We all know Jimoh and his antecedent, therefore, we should not be surprised with what is happening. But if says he is in court, we will meet in court.
But he provided some evidences from INEC that election did not hold in about 12 of the 18 local government areas in the state.
Are you sure those documents are from INEC? But let’s get to court and INEC will now declare which of the documents is authentic. Let him continue to claim that the documents are from INEC, but when we get to court evidence will be supplied and people will know that there was primary election of APC in the state. All this noise about this primary is because they are all overwhelmed and that does not mean they should come out to say there was no election. There was an election. They have forgotten one fact that it is no longer the Aiyedatiwa that was in NDDC or a deputy governor but Aiyedatiwa that has been transformed by them. They transformed him, and the people are clamouring for him to be the governor; it is now Aiyedatiwa everywhere you go. You don’t underrate a person’s capability, but they underrated him, thinking he was a pushover. But the one week campaign tour was an impetus that gave everything and they were overwhelmed by the chanting of ‘Odatiwa,’ ‘Odirorun’ across all the local governments in the state during the primary. Everybody is for him and this is glaring and not about someone using some technicalities., We will meet Jimoh Ibrahim in court and prove it that there was election ward by ward. We will supply all evidence from all the 203 wards, recorded evidence, documented by independent observers. What Jimoh Ibrahim is doing is media trial. He has placed the evidence before the court; why is he now engaging in media theatrics?
Two of the prayers of Jimoh Ibrahim are that the court should order re-election or that APC should not be in the ballot for the November 16 governorship election.
The APC will be in the ballot and the primary will not be re-conducted. I’m sure the court will listen to others before granting his prayers. He has presented his own case and the court is meant for everybody. We will also go there to present our own and our own will supersede his own. Let him go and hire 100 SANs. We understand his antics and when we get there, we shall discuss it.
Jimoh Ibrahim said all internal mechanisms within the party had been explored before going to court. Did the governor extend an olive branch to him and others?
I want to confirm that the governor met him immediately after the primary and for two hours, he was in a meeting with the governor. He was asking for some terms and the governor told him point blank that what the people want, he had no choice. But as a senator, if he’s going to work with the president, the president must have a say in who becomes senator this time round and if the president makes his choice known and that’s what he wants, he would return Jimoh as senator. Jimoh promised to talk to him about it, but the next thing is for him to go to court. We never folded our hands. Every opportunity has been explored; they have met him, discussed with him and the governor is not just sitting down. We are members of the same political party; we must talk to every other person to iron out our differences. We know the person we are dealing with. Just leave us; we will act accordingly.
But this might affect the prospect of the party
It will not affect the prospect of our party, because there is nobody who doesn’t know Jimoh in Ondo State. He is well known; we are not surprised because we know his antecedents.
Has there been any intervention by the national leadership and secretariat of the party?
Yes, the national secretariat invited all the aspirants to Abuja and met with the National Working Committee and there was a resolution that everybody must abide with the party’s decisions and to God be the glory 13 of them agreed and that’s why they are not in court. Jimoh Ibrahim is the only one in court… and that’s why we are not bothered. What we have now is APC versus Jimoh and we will know who is bigger at the end of the day.
The state leadership also set up a reconciliatory committee, which included his people too; this is to jointly work things out. The committee was co- chaired by Chief Pius Akinyelure and the APC chairman, Ade Adetimehin, and other 10 members and we are meeting with other aspirants and we will still meet him despite dragging the party to court.
From the Presidency, mum is the word. What has been the presidency’s intervention since the president is from the South-West?
They are not mute. The president cannot keep quiet; this is his backyard. This is his home, and this the first election they are conducting in his backyard. I want to assure you that Jimoh will withdraw the case from court and there will be no problem. He wants attention and he will get attention.
Are you confident Jimoh Ibrahim’s prayers will not be granted by the court?
I am optimistic that the court will not grant them, but when we get to the bridge, we will take an attempt to cross. I am sure our judiciary has lived up to expectation and will not let Ondo State down and will live up to expectation. I have told everyone that if we do the primary a hundred times, Aiyedatiwa will win because of the more the support he will be having each time they are conducting the primary, because the people are determined and there is nothing they can do.
Do you see Jimoh dropping the case and be party.
This is not impossible. He is not greater than the party or is he greater than Ondo State? But if he doesn’t drop the case, we are ready to meet him in court.
The November 16 election is a battle between two former deputy governors of late Akeredolu, do you see Aiyedatiwa suppressing Agboola Ajayi grassroots appeal.
Aiyedatiwa will win. He will not only win but handsomely. Yes, I give it to Agboola Ajayi, he’s a grassroots politician, but remember that the governor too is surrounded by experienced politicians who are grassroots mobilisers anf these grassroots politicians who are supporting Aiyedatiwa will mobilize support for him. We will mobilize support for him and there’s no doubt that any political party that the governor contests election, this time around, he will win. However, we are lucky in APC that Lucky Aiyedatiwa is our candidate and I am sure by the grace of God, he will win. I know Agboola Ajayi very well and I am not underrating him, I know he’s grassrooted, but we too are grassrooted, we will be behind Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
