Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said that he was not backing any of the aspirants seeking the party’s nomination ahead of the November governorship election in Ondo State.
Tunji-Ojo said he was after stability in the politics of the state.
The minister said he would pitch a tent with any candidate that has the backing of the party’s hierarchy.
He spoke through the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AGM), a political pressure group, which sought to find a common ground for victory without bias toward any governorship aspirant within the APC fold.
Director-General of the AGM, Muyiwa Asagunla, who spoke at the unveiling of the group in Akure, said Tunji-Ojo’s purpose was to ensure unity and cohesion of the party after the primary.
Asagunla stated that Tunji-Ojo made it clear that the group would not canvass support for any aspirant.
He said: “The political atmosphere of the state was becoming so tense and he (Tunji-Ojo) needs to speak that he is not behind any aspirants. He made it clear that this group is not and will not be behind any aspirant.
“We have personalities here supporting different aspirants. They are from the camps of different governorship aspirants. People have seen that the Minister is unbiased about it. What he is after is that we have stability in the politics of Ondo State. When the party speaks, that is the candidate we are going to pitch our tent with. As of today, we are for all the aspirants and at the same time we are not for any of the aspirants.
“We believe that politics and elections in Ondo state substantially dictate the direction of things in the general elections in the country and hence the need to have a formidable and pro-people governor and government come November when the Ondo State Gubernatorial election will hold.
“As a group, we will be more confident and self-reliant in cultivating the features of sincere political diplomacy.
“Our state’s development and rejuvenation will always be based on our own efforts, and the future of the people of the state will always be in our own hands.
“We will remain firm in pursuing the independent campaign of peace, and resolutely safeguard the sovereignty of the state from hijackers toward a more robust national dignity.
“As we birth this group, we will be open and inclusive and conduct consultations with a broad vision. We will consolidate and expand our collective network of partnerships, promote a new type of communal relations, and promote mutual respect and mutual learning between civilizations and development, between the government and the governed.
“The group will uphold fairness and justice in the countdown to the political party’s primaries and further establish the ethos of collectiveness. We will practice true multilateralism, and promote greater democracy in relations.
“We will be more unequivocal on issues of principle concerning the legitimate rights and interests of the people of Ondo state primarily and nationally.”
