Ondo 2024: “I didn’t announce Aiyedatiwa as Tinubu’s preferred candidate” — Interior Minister

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disassociated himself from a report that President Bola Tinubu has picked Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State as his preferred candidate for the Nov. 16 Governorship election in the state.

A statement issued by Mr Babatunde Alao, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister,  on Wednesday in Abuja, also described as false the purported appointment of the minister as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.

Alao, who was reacting to the social media publication by Blueprint Newspaper titled “Tinubu appoints Tunji-Ojo political leader in Ondo State, described the report as baseless and fictitious.

“Therefore, Tunji-Ojo completely disassociates and distances himself from the purported appointment as it holds no truth whatsoever,” he said.

The media aide added that there was no meeting held in Abuja between the minister and APC chairmen and leaders from the 18 local government areas of Ondo state, as alleged in the article.

“The minister is aware that the party’s governorship primary election is days away,  and he has advised aspirants to embrace the spirit of love and sportsmanship,” Alao said.

According to him,  the President, as the father of the nation and as the leader of the party is a democrat whose interest is always to promote unity and peace.

“Therefore, he would not want to involve himself in any action that would undermine that,”  he said.

The special adviser urged the public to disregard the misinformation contained in the viral news article and to always rely on credible sources for accurate information.