The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday urged the state government to set in motion a machinery for the immediate conduct of the postponed elections into local government councils to bring governance closer to the people.
Mr Ade Adetimehin, the party’s chairman in the state, made the call via a statement signed by Mr Steve Otaloro, the party’s Director of Media and Publicity.
The statement was made available to newsmen on Friday in Akure.
Adetimehin was quoted as making the call during a stakeholders teleconference meeting held at Ose Local Government Area of the state.
He said that conducting the election was a sure step toward bringing governance to the doorstep of the people at the grassroots.
The chairman said that having governance at the local government level would ensure rapid and positive transformation in the living conditions of the rural dwellers.
The local government election, earlier scheduled to hold April 18, was postponed indefinitely by the Ondo State Independent National Electoral Commission (ODIEC) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the party chief, the election will allow the party to test its popularity among the electorate before the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“It will also establish democratic governance in all 18 eLocal Government Areas of the state,’’ Adetimehin was quoted as saying.
He, therefore, urged party members in the local council areas to continue to work towards a renewed mandate for the party in the Oct. 10 governorship election.
The chairman appealed to party members holding any grudges in respect of the party primary to “forgive and forget’’.
“All hands must be on deck in preparation for the two elections ahead of us in the state.
“I want you to know that it is God that annoints people for positions, no matter the effort one puts into it,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mr Dotun Owanikin, Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, had called the attention of the meeting to the internal rifts arising from the primary election, and urged fairness in members’ interactions.
He requested the state party executive to look into anomalies noted in the said primaries to prevent future occurrence.
Mr Ladi Tenabe, the Chairman of the party in Ose Local Government, thanked Adetimehin for his intervention and words of encouragement.
Tenabe promised to ensure a peaceful resolution of all the challenges raised in the meeting.
