The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has advised the 11 aspirants jostling for the party’s governorship ticket to avoid hate speeches and violence ahead of its primary poll on April 20.

The top contenders in the poll are incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Wale Akinterinwa, Olusola Oke, Diran Iyantan, Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo, Jimi Odimayo, and Jimoh Ibrahim, among other aspirants. 

The chairman of APC in the state, Ade Adetimehin, on Tuesday, said the party was worried about how the aspirants have been engaging in violence and name-calling, particularly on social media. 

Mr Adetimehin spoke when Mr Akinterinwa visited the APC leadership to officially declare his plans to contest. He said the gladiators must stop giving the ruling party bad names. 

“Don’t give this party bad names,” said Mr Adetimehin. “Why would you (aspirants) fight yourselves ahead of the election?”

The chairman stressed that aspirants must shun thuggery and ensure their campaigns were devoid of violence and hate speeches.

“So, my plead is that we should not encourage thuggery and violence. It would not pay us. Please, no aspirant should cause trouble for the party. If we continue to fight ourselves, it will not lead us anywhere,” he revealed. 

Earlier, Mr Akinterinwa, who was the state’s immediate commissioner for finance, assured that he would turn Ondo into an economic hub by encouraging both local and foreign investors. 

Mr Akinteriwa assured that if given the chance to govern, his administration would urgently find a means to remove unemployed youths from the streets and give them work so that they could become independent. 

“We must find a solution to how to move these boys from the streets and give them good employment. We must now think outside the box. We must think in a manner that there are no limitations.

“We will make our lands available at a cost. Ondo must be the next Lagos State. We have a coastline and a deep seaport. We must bring all these to life, and it will be the game changer,” said the aspirants, who also promised to support farmers in the state.