2023: Why l lost Return Ticket – Ondo PDP Senator Laments
A two term Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Patrick Akinyelure has lamented his failure to secure a return ticket to the Senate under the People’s Democratic Party during the Party’s primary election.
Speaking after he lost the primary to Chief Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, Akinyelure accused former Governor in the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko for his failure to clinch the party’s ticket.
AKinyelure described the election as free and fair but lamented that he would have won the primary if not for the gang up against him by the delegates who acted under the instructions of the ex governor.
Chief Ifedayo Adedipe defeated the serving Senator by polling 82 votes, while Senator Akinyelure and the former state party chairmn, Engr Clement Faboyede, scored 58 and 57 votes respectively.
Akinyelure lamented that despite his contributions and what he has done in the senatorial district, he was still voted out by the delegates on the instructions of some party leaders.
“As a ranking Senator and with all I have done for them in Ondo Central Senatorial District, the three ad-hoc delegates that favours Olusegun Mimiko, they gave instructions to them to vote me out. I am happy for this but I know my God will never fail.
“I know what I am talking about. We have six local governments in the central, by the grace of God I am still a sitting Senator.
“The election was so transparent but I know that with the volume of what I have done for Ondo Central Senatorial District, I did not expect to be paid this way. But I have a destiny that nobody can stop.”
Meanwhile, the party has congratulated the candidates that I’ve emerged in the party primaries cross the state.
The State Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei said: “The orderly and peaceful manner in which delegates and party leaders conducted themselves during the exercise was a clear demonstration of the readiness of our great party to end the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the general elections next year.
Peretei added that ” Party Primaries are nothing but mechanism to strengthen internal democracy within the party.
” It is our collective responsibility to rescue and rebuild our nation from those who have practically grounded the country.
“The Primaries were essentially a family affair. There should be no bitterness nor ill feelings.
“We have put our hands on the plough and we shall not look back.
The party therefore urged “all party leaders to close ranks as we prepare for the general elections.
