THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State Chapter, says it will field credible candidates on merit to contest the 2019 elections.

Mr Ade Adetimehin, the state party chairman, made this known on Thursday in Akure.

According to Adetimehin, nothing short of the best materials in the political armoury of Ondo State chapter of the APC will be presented for the next general elections.

“Merit, experience, party loyalty, among others, would form the basis of consideration during the primaries because the era of sentiments has passed,” he said in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaye.

Adetimehin, who emerged the substantive chairman of the party on May 19 at the state congress, said that the new administration of the party’s state secretariat would ensure that discipline is instilled in all members.

According to him, only members with proven integrity would be sponsored during elections.

He added that the party at the state, local government and ward levels would consider these qualifications as sacrosanct.

“The time has come for us to adhere to merit and not sentiments when deciding who should be the party’s flag bearer during elections.

“We will not compromise merit. Ondo State APC as at today boasts of the best materials in politics because the best of other parties in the state are currently in our fold.

“So, we will ensure that the best of these array of stars are presented for future elections,’’ Adetimehin said.

The party chairman described the party as “a very healthy and robust one’’ that would further convince every political observer and stakeholder that its victory in 2015 was never a fluke.

Adetimehin commended what he termed “President Muhammadu Buhari’s ingenuity’’ in honouring the late Chief MKO Abiola and others.

He described Abiola as a symbol of unity, who had been denied of his rightful place in the annals of Nigeria’s political history by successive administrations.

Adetimehin said: “The people’s president has now decided to right the wrong of decades.

“He has made Nigerians, particularly the Yorubas and the APC proud. I salute his courage.”

– June 21, 2018 @ 15:17 GMT |