Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr Wale Akinterinwa has declared that he would be the next governor of the state.
Akinterinwa, who was among the members of the state Executive Council that was dissolved last week by incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said he was ready to contest the governorship election.
Speaking on TVC News on Friday, the former commissioner said the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had a discussion with him to become the next governor of the state. He said Akeredolu told him to gear up for the position.
Akinterinwa said, “The late Governor Akeredolu had a discussion with me in his office and he told me he would want me to take over from him. I didn’t take particular notice of the date he had the discussion with me but it happened immediately after he came back from his trip to Germany.
”He prayed for me and I am aware he told certain people about his desire”.
On his chances of picking the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo Akinterinwa said, ”Well, at the appropriate time, I will officially announce my intention because it is not in doubt that I am still making further consultations but I can assure you that I will get the ticket.
The people of Ondo State are with me, and I am very confident that I will win the APC primary”.
Akinterinwa, among other Ondo APC stalwarts, will be contesting the party’s governorship primary with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who was sworn in on 27 December 2023, hours after the death of Akeredolu in Germany.