The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Monday expressed optimism that he would win the October 10 governorship election in the state.
The governor stated this shortly after meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Election Appeal Committee at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
He advised his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenger, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, to focus on an issue-based campaign without resorting to violence.
Akeredolu said: “Jegede is my friend. We are colleagues and both members of inner bar, I don’t have anything against him and I just pray that our campaign should be issue-based without violence.
“I know that he (Jegede) knows that it will not be easy for him. Yes, it may not be easy for me to win, but by God’s grace, I am going to win.
“I can assure you that as it was in the beginning, so it shall be now and forever more. We will win this election by the grace of God.”
The governor said the defection of his deputy, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, to the PDP would not affect his chances at the poll.
READ ALSO: Eyitayo Jegede emerges winner of Ondo PDP primary to set up rematch with Gov Akeredolu
He added: “For me, the deputy leaving the APC to return to the PDP is a good riddance to bad rubbish.
“We thought we could accommodate him in the APC, but since he returned to where he truly belonged, it is all well and good. I always wish people the best I can.
“From what I have been told, he has lost the ticket and I pray he won’t jump to another party. But if he does, all well and good.
“However, for his own sake and as a big brother, I will advise him to stay with Jegede and support him very well.”
The governor also shrugged off his estranged deputy’s claim that he helped him win the 2016 governorship election in the state.
“Let him help Jegede to win this time around and that will confirm that he is popular.
“What I know is that he is of no importance, he has no hold on any local government. I can assure you that when the election comes, I will defeat him in his local government and he will never recover from it.
“Let me advise him again to stay with Jegede and let us see what happens”, Akeredolu concluded.
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