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By Emmanuel Adeleke
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Ondo State, Oladunni Odu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) under the administration of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, has dropped her ambition to back the Senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim.
Odu disclosed her decision to quit the governorship race during a meeting in Okitipupa with her Iwajowa Political Group coordinators and some chieftains of the party from the southern senatorial district.
One of the coordinators of the group, Alaba Onayajo, disclosed the development to newsmen in Okitipupa, on Tuesday.
Onayajo said that the former SSG pledged to work and galvanise her group towards ensuring the success and victory of Ibrahim in the April primary.
He stated that the Idepe,Okitipupa-born politician directed her supporters under the “Iwajowa Political Group” to team up and start working with Ibrahim’s “Aseyori Lekansi Group.”
Onayajo added that Odu had earlier met with her supporters in the Central Senatorial District and directed them to work for Ibrahim’s victory at the party’s primary.
“The Iwajowa Political Group has been directed by our leader and founder, Mama Oladunni Odu, to start working and mobilising for Ibrahim.
“The primary goal of Iwajowa Political Group now is to ensure Ibrahim emerges victorious in the party’s primary in April and since we have received the instruction, work has started in earnest.
“As directed by mama (Odu) in the meeting, we are ready and have resolved to work together with the Aseyori Lekansi Group,” he said.
Odu is from the Southern Senatorial District with Ibrahim and the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who is also jostling for the APC governorship ticket.
Aiyedatiwa, the erstwhile deputy governor of the state, was sworn in as governor on December 27, 2023 following the death of Akeredolu.
The new governor had inherited Odu as the SSG, but recently removed her in a cabinet shake-up he carried out just before Akeredolu’s burial.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed November 16 for the Ondo State governorship while APC has scheduled its primary election for April.