BREAKING: Dead Ondo APC aspirant among party elders’ shortlist

Paul Akintelure, the governorship aspirant in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who died in Lagos on Monday is one of the three aspirants shortlisted by party elders, Westernpost has learnt.

Akintelure who served as the running mate to the late governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu during the 2012 election under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) reportedly died in the early hours of Tuesday 26 March after complaining of chest pains.

Western post reported how a group of elders of the party under the name of Ondo APC Aborigines had constituted a committee to screen the governorship aspirants and shortlist preferred contenders. The group was scheduled to announce those shortlisted on Tuesday 26 March.

But before the APC Aborigines could make the report of its screening public, news emerged that one of the aspirants, Dr Akintelure died in the early hours of the day.

According to the leader of the elders, Ambassador Sola lji, the meeting of the elders which was to adopt the final report of the resolution of the committee that screened the governorship aspirants had to be suspended due to the demise of one of the aspirants.

Ambassador lji said, ”the meeting was meant to receive and adopt the final report of the resolution of the group in supporting one of the aspirants.

“We were shocked when we learnt of the death of Dr. Paul Akintelure.

”We have to suspend our meeting to mourn his demise.

“He was one of those recommended by the Committee,” Ambassador Iji said.

The three shortlisted aspirants are the incumbent, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner for finance in Ondo State, Wale Akinterinwa and the late Paul Akintelure.

The elders were to adopt one of the three aspirants shortlisted by the nine-member committee.

Speaking on the development, a member of the elders’ group, Senator Ajayi Boroffice described the demise of Akintelure as shocking and sad.

“We have lost a complete gentleman. He will be greatly missed,” Boroffice said.

Before his death, Akintelure had last week raised an alarm over threat to his life, alleging both direct and indirect attempts on his life.