Aregbesola Tells Supporters Not To Be Intimidated As APC Elects Governorship Candidate Amidst Tension

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on members of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner as the party elects its governorship candidate today.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola; former Secretary to State Government, Moshood Adeoti and former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf are contesting to pick the sole ticket at stake in today’s contest amidst tension.

Aregbesola, who is publicly supporting Adeoti against the incumbent governor urges his supporters not to be intimidated but be resolute to cast their votes during the exercise which Adeoti had said would not be free and fair.

The minister, who had vowed to ensure that the incumbent governor fails to clinch the ticket of the party
said this in a statement he personally signed and issue on Saturday.

He, however, charged them to avoid any form of violence, brigandage and disorderliness.

He said, “This electoral cycle is a two-staged process. The first is intra-party, meaning that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), will democratically nominate its candidate. The second stage, inter-party, will take place in a state-wide election sometime in July, God willing.

“I am appealing to all our party members to participate but peacefully in the primary election taking place today. They should avoid any form of violence, brigandage and disorderliness.

“Our party members, especially our supporters, should be resolute to cast their vote, not to be intimidated and scared away. But they should portray themselves and the party in the best form in comportment, organisation and promotion of societal peace and tranquillity.

“I am also appealing to our members to push out the women and let them lead the process by coming out decently and peacefully.

” This is to demonstrate the customary dignity of women as matriarchs, mothers, wives and daughters, which confers on them the special protection status from violent attacks from thugs and hoodlums.
Our overall objective is to have a transparent, free, fair and peaceful election.

“You should know that we are first a community of humans before we are a political community. Our peaceful coexistence, therefore, supersedes every other activity.”