One of the leading governorship aspirants on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Olusola Oke SAN, has replied those castigating him for marrying an Ibo woman, saying he never committed any crime.
Oke also revealed that his first wife is a Yoruba woman, who is also qualified to run for the governorship election in Ondo state.
Addressing a press conference Friday after he submitted his nomination and expression of interest forms at the APC National secretariat, the legal luminary said his opponents do not have anything to disqualify him from the race but the issue of marrying an Ibo woman which is not a crime.
According to Oke, in a contest like this I don’t expect everybody to be my supporters. Those peddling this negative stories are not my supporters. They must find something. In Ondo state today, there is huge population of Ibo APC members. In Nigeria, it is unconditional to discriminate against anyone under ground of marriage or tribe.
I am a polygamous. I actually married a Yoruba woman from Ilaje, who is also qualified to contest and govern Ondo state. We have been married more than 40 years. So, these people do not have anything to say about my capacity to govern Ondo state, my certificate or my physical look.”
Responding to late question on whether President Bola Tinubu has endorsed any of the aspirants, Oke said: “Our President is a democrat. He does not indulge in anointing anybody. I am very close to him and I can tell you that he wants free and fair primary election. The President wants to give everybody equal opportunity.”
Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) explained that the resolve by the Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led national working committee (NWC) to use the direct mode to conduct the party primary because it is not very prone to abuse and manipulation as is the case with the indirect mode.
Oke who said he would want to be remembered for even development and enhancing the welfare of the citizenry in Ondo state believe that it has been ordained by God for him to administer the state this time around.
