Governor Rotimi Akeredolu says the forthcoming October 10 governorship election will be the last election he will contest in Ondo State.
Akeredolu, who is seeking reelection on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, stated this on Tuesday in Akure, the state capital, while signing a peace accord alongside the candidates of other parties in the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission said the pact was to ensure a violence-free election.
Addressing the National Peace Committee and his contenders, the governor said, “This won’t be our first election, at least for me. This will be the third time around that I will be contesting in the state. And this will be the third and last time that I will be contesting an election in Ondo State.
“We went through elections in the last two occasions, all of us operating has brothers. I cannot recollect any violence in those two elections. But if we have one or two issues here and there, it is not to say that Ondo people are violent. Ondo State people, maybe learning from experience, have refused to be involved in violence. Elections here have always been peaceful.
“I can assure you that the election slated for Saturday will be peaceful for as long as our security agencies are there. Our people are not the one that can confront civil defence talkless of the police or soldiers. Ondo State people are peace-loving people.
“I will also still address the people on the need to avoid violence. A number of us who are contesting in the election talk to each other because we are colleagues.”
Akeredolu has the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Eyitayo Jegede; his estranged deputy and Zenith Labour Party candidate, Agboola Ajayi, as major contenders in Saturday poll.