Our attention at the Coalition Of Progressive Ambassadors for Lucky Aiyedatiwa (COPA) has been brought to an appeal filed by some of the aggrieved contestants in the just concluded governorship APC primary election in Ondo State. According to reports on print and electronic media, Jimoh Ibrahim and some other contestants have perfected their cases and headed to the All Progressive Congress Election Appeal Committee, over the election they not only failed to win, but performed poorly despite their acclaimed widespread support and popularity.
Ideally we should have refrain ourselves from responding to Jimoh Ibrahim and his ilks but for the fact that we want to avoid a scenario where lies and fallacy prevails over truth, then it becomes pertinent to rebuff and declare their move as some effort in futility ab initio.
So as a support group built on the pillars of progressive ideals and principles, we have examined and dissected the outcome of the election and it shows clearly that it was a competitive election where the strongest and the most popular candidate emerged.
Ibrahim and his co-travellers actually failed in their outing and their overall scores does not even match up with the vote legitimately won by H.E Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who pulled more than 50% of the total valid vote cast,while the other contestants only shared 49% of the valid vote cast.
So this to us is indicative that Ibrahim has been misled by his team whose pure objective is to exploit him and sell false hope and narratives to him.Those who have advised him know for a fact that what they are heading to do is just synonymous to a comedy show and precarious situation with zero percentage of positives.
But as a support group working to deliver the progressive mandate in Ondo State, we believe Ibrahim should have no business appealing the election he clearly lost, but rather join forces with the government of the day to form a more formidable force so that the oppositions, if at all they exist anywhere in Ondo State, could further be crushed into pebbles.
As a democratic organisation, we can never be against Ibrahim’s move but the fact that such a move leads to nowhere raises concern to us.
It is very crucial to state that Jimoh Ibrahim who is now the arrow head of the aggrieved contestants has a multifaceted stance and purview about politics and politicking. To some he is a radicalist who knows how to play dirty games while others see him as renegade. But COPA is viewing him as someone who still has the propensity to retrace his steps and join forces with the incumbent administration.
COPA notes the role played by Ibrahim during the political struggles of who becomes the Senate President. Ibrahim worked tirelessly for the emergence of Sen Abdul-laziz Yari, and he had all hopes that with the resources of the former Zamfara Governor, he would clinch the seat. Though he and his camp nearly upset the contest, they would later be swept away by the torrential tides of the Akpabios who got the backing of the majority.
Yari however lost , Ibrahim moved on and he’s now one of the most vociferous voices supporting the leadership and aspirations of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Ibrahim did not only move on but has now fully subscribed to the agendas of the Senate leadership. This is the version of Ibrahim we want to see manifest in the coming days.
During the fracas that arose at the floor of the Senate where the now suspended Senator representing Bauchi South, Abdul Ningi alleged the Senate leadership of budget padding, Ibrahim was among the Senators who rose to defend the position of the Senate against Goebbels’s forces.
This is rather a time to unite together as one unbreakable family so,Ibrahim and his aggrieved team should consider suing for peace not because the Governor is afraid of anything but for them to be part of the success story during the forthcoming election, which is obvious, will be won by Gov Aiyedatiwa, as a result of the continuous support the His Excellency, enjoys from the people of Ondo State.
While we await the outcome of the appeal filed with the APC Election Committee, what must never be left unsaid is that all his four allegations which includes, gross misconduct, non-accreditation of agents, no electoral materials, among others lack merit and could have better to likened to wishy-washy claims. If there were no electoral materials for instance, how could he have pulled 9,456 votes, or how could others have gotten such competitive numbers?
Signed:
Belele David Tamarau-Kuro
Director General, Coalition of Progressive Ambassadors(COPA)
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