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Ambassador Nominees: Absence Of Names From Ondo State Is A Big Blow, PDP Tells APC Leaders

“The failure of the APC national government to include the names of any of its members in Ondo State on the ambassadorial list is a big and irredeemable blow to the party."

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has thrown jabs at the State leadership of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) over the absence of candidates from Ondo State on the list of the presidential nominees for the ambassadorial positions.

Ondo State PDP leaders said the nonappearance of names from the State was a “big blow” to the Ondo State leaders of the APC.

“The failure of the APC national government to include the names of any of its members in Ondo State on the ambassadorial list is a big and irredeemable blow to the party.

“Irredeemable because the list has already been submitted to the National Assembly and there is no likelihood that there would be another list,” Banji Okunomo, a PDP spokesman said in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters.

He complained in the statement that two ambassadorial nominees were selected from Ogun and Ekiti States, both in southwestern Nigeria, without any recourse to Ondo State.

On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, through a letter written to the National Assembly, forwarded a list of 47 names of ambassadorial nominees for ratification.

Embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki read the letter to the members of the red chamber of the National Assembly at a plenary session. 

Our correspondent observed in the list that out of all the southwestern States in the country – Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, and Ondo – only Ondo State did not get its own share of the slot of the nominees.  

Mr. Okunomo said that the current leaders of the Ondo State APC are not being recognized at the national level, hence their impact is not felt. 

“It is a shameful thing that the All Progressives Congress at the national level has continued to treat its members in Ondo State with disdain.

“If the APC national body truly recognized the efforts of its members in Ondo State, it would give them recognition in the appointments made by the federal government,” he said.

According to Mr. Okunomo, it would be a herculean task for the opposition party to take control of power in the State on the November 26 governorship poll.

“No wonder the party [APC] is desperate to capture Ondo State in the forthcoming governorship election. But it has also become clear that they would not get anywhere since the party does not even enjoy national support.

“It is apparent that they [APC] are just making noise in Ondo State. Not a single one [nominee] is picked from Ondo State out of the 47 nominees,” Mr. Okunomo further said.

The PDP spokesman also accused the opposition APC of betraying the people of the State.

The ruling party in Ondo State had also blamed the APC-controlled federal government of sidelining the State during when ministerial appointments were made.

“It is rather unfortunate that this ugly development is repeating itself again. When it was time to appoint ministers, Ondo State almost did not get a slot.

“It was after agitation that the State APC managed to get a junior ministerial portfolio. Ondo State is being treated like a second fiddle despite its status in the South West,” the statement read.

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