The candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the November 16 governorship election, Hon. Olugbenga Edema, has dissociated himself and the party from a meeting with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State.
Some candidates of political parties which participated in last week Saturday’s governorship election have pledged their support for the administration of Governor Aiyedatiwa.
The candidates, alongside the chairmen of their political parties, met with the Governor at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Akure on Friday.
The political parties represented at the meeting were Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), All People’s Party (APP), African Democratic Party (ADP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), Youth Party (YP), Young People’s Party (YPP), Boot Party (BP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
However, Edema, who contested last week’s governorship election, dismissed the claims that the party was among those who pledged support for Aiyedatiwa.
According to Edema, the clarification became imperative in light of a meeting held on Friday, where leaders from 13 political parties expressed commitment to collaborate with Aiyedatiwa, who was announced as the winner of the November 16 off-cycle governorship election.
Edema stated that he did not attend the meeting, and neither he nor the National Leadership of the NNPP sent any party representative.
In a statement made available to reporters in Akure, the state capital, Edema said: “The party and I are already in court challenging the eligibility of APC to field candidates in the said election vide suit number FHC/AK/CS/103/2024, Olugbenga Edema & another v. INEC & Others.
“I want to make it clear that neither I nor anyone from the NNPP was part of the meeting where support for Governor Aiyedatiwa was pledged. The party has not endorsed the current administration, and any claims suggesting the same should be disregarded.”
