The Alliance for Democracy (AD) has affirmed that Mr Olusola Oke remains the authentic candidate of the party for the November 26 Ondo governorship poll.
The National Vice Chairman, North-east, of the party, Magaji Kwairanga, stated this at a news conference in Akure, Ondo State capital.
This is contrary to a Friday communique in which leading party members had denounced Oke’s candidacy.
Kwairanga said: “It is a known fact that Dr. Akin Olowokere handed over the gubernatorial ticket of AD voluntarily to Oke. It is also a truism that the state chapter of AD, our great party, was involved and also consented to the candidature of Oke.
“Therefore, the national chairman and secretary of the party are constitutionally empowered to forward the name of Oke to INEC considering the constraint of time.
“Let us also state that the NEC has no issue and if there are issues relating to NEC meeting, which is internal affairs of the party, the issues will be handled internally. As we speak here, Oke’s name has been duly submitted to INEC as the candidate of our party.”
The news conference was also attended by the National Vice Chairman, North-west, Alhaji Sulaiman Aliyu; the Deputy National Treasurer, Sagir Ahmed Ali; the National Organising Secretary, Abdulahi Ibrahim; a National Ex Officio member, Saadatu Bello, seven states chairmen and other national officers.
Oke, who contested in the September 3 primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dumped the party for the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to actualise his ambition.
Mr Oke announced this decision to his political associates and supporters from across the 18 local government areas of the state at his residence in Akure the State capital.
Oke, who was candidate of the PDP in the 2012 governorship election in the state, lamented that some undemocratic forces had hijacked the APC at the federal level.
He commended all the leaders of APC who have condemned the primary election and said that he decided to step aside in order to actualize the aspiration of the people of Ondo State.
INEC had few days earlier announced the decision of AD to replace the name of its candidate, Akin Olowookere with that of Olusola Oke.
