By Gbenga Sodeinde
A socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere Renewal Group(ARG), Ekiti State Chapter, has advised the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the June 18 poll, Hon. Biodun Oyebanji not to perceive his challengers in the primary as adversaries or enemies.
ARG urged Oyebanji to be magnanimous in victory by embracing those that contested against him in the primary to be able to make a headway in the main election.
The group in its congratulatory message signed by ARG’s Publicity Secretary in Ekiti, Prince Michael Ogungbemi, said Oyebanji must display the spirit of sportsmanship and true leadership at this period, to be able unite and build internal democracy in the ruling party.
Ogungbemi expressed delight in the peaceful conduct of the primary election that produced Oyebanji, saying the APC candidate’s emergence through a violence-free, credible and fair primary, was a testimony to his acceptability in the progressive fold.
The group’s Publicity Secretary added that embracing direct primary in Ekiti was another clear statement by the people about their readiness to participate actively in the process of choosing their leaders to enshrine participatory democracy in the system.
“We advise Oyebanji to be magnanimous in victory by embracing other aspirants who lost out in the primary.
“It’s equally imperative for him to make passionate pleas and entreaties to the aspirants to accept their losses as a sacrifice for the peace, cohesion and unity that the party needs to confront frontally the demands of the general election ahead in Ekiti State”.
ARG applauded Governor Kayode Fayemi and party’s top hierarchy, for their rare show of leadership that provided a level playing ground for all the aspirants to showcase their political clouts.
“We hereby use this opportunity to advise the people’s choice, Hon Biodun Oyebanji, the APC and the good people of Ekiti State to work relentlessly for the peace, development, economic prosperity and political stability of Ekiti State, Yoruba nation and Nigeria in general.
“Other contestants should also know that powers come from God and He gives to whoever pleases. They shouldn’t consider themselves as failures, it is Oyebanji today, theirs are coming in future, so they should support him in the interest of APC and Ekiti”.
