From an unusual quarter came support for Dr. Paul Akintelure's nomination as deputy governorship candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, at the weekend, as three former deputy governorship aspirants, Chief Adewale Omojuwa, Chief Olu Tawose, Chief Wole Eruaye and the Ilaje Elder's Forum, threw their weights behind his candidacy.
At a meeting in Ilaje, under the leadership of Chief Oluwanbe Omololu, a former Director of Immigration, Chief Francis Thinnance, Professor Esi Ebisemiju, a former Special Adviser to the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin on energy matters, Chief Sedera Victor Babatunde, among others, the group said although it was painful that an Ilaje man did not get the position of the deputy governorship slot under the platform of ACN, it saw the running mate as one of their sons as both Ikale and Ilaje are the same. Dr. Akintelure is from Ikale.
Besides, the group insisted that it was only the ACN that had the blueprint to develop Ilaje which had suffered a criminal neglect from Governor Olusegun Mimiko's government in the last three and a half years.
Speaking through its spokesman, Prof. Ebisemiju, the group noted that Dr. Akintelure is a renowned medical doctor, a philanthropist of note who has contributed not only to Ikale land but also to Ilaje.
His words: "We see you as our son. We see Ikale and Ilaje people as one. Although ACN’s decision is painful, we have put that behind us and decided to support you for ACN to win."
However, Prof. Ebisemiju charged the ACN governorship candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu and Dr. Akintelure not to forget the people of Ilaje, as the area has been neglected by the government of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
He said the duo if elected should harmonise the blueprint for Ilaje development with that of the government on how to transform the oil-rich area of the State.
Also Akintelure met with Omojuwa and Tawose in a separate meeting in which both of them promised to work for the victory of Akeredolu-Akintelure ticket
