Ahead of the Ondo State gubernatorial election slated for November 2024, notable leaders in the state have urged the leadership of major political parties to give their backing to aspirants from Ondo South Senatorial District.
Even though the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa hails from Ilaje also in the South, the stakeholders are insisting the governor might not be able to do eight years because of the new amendment of the constitution which bars Deputy Governor who completes a tenure of an incumbent governor on account of demise to do two terms.
Speaking on behalf of stakeholders from the senatorial zone, popular Lawyer and former Board Member of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, in a chat with newsmen in Lagos, appealed to the leadership of the party to give support to Olushola Oke, who hails from Ilaje in Ondo state, to emerge the next Executive governor of the state.
Enikuomehin argued that the sitting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as other aspirants eminently qualify, but Oke would guarantee the ruling APC an easy inroad to the seat of power.
According to him, the sitting Governor has constitutional constraints, following the provisions of the constitution, which would not allow him another term in office.
He therefore warned that one of the ways for APC to lose the coming election in the state is to give its ticket to the incumbent Governor.
He said, “Aiyedatiwa was Deputy Governor, thrown up by providence. In a plane for instance, you have a pilot and a co-pilot. So that if one sleeps, the other takes over so that the plane will not crash.When his boss left the scene. Are we going to say that he should not show interest? I will say no.
“But, when you look at your people, sacrifice should come in. Should my decision be for the majority or minority? If your decision is not for the majority but it will benefit you, it will not make sense for you to do away with the interest of the majority.
“The leadership of the party should look at the larger perspective. Assuming the eight years will be given to him to stay in the saddle, that will be understandable. But, Ondo South members are yearning for their unbroken eight years in the state and they are not negotiating for it.”
He added that from recent interactions with people of the state, the citizens have made up their minds to vote against any party that shortchanges them.
“Now, one of the ways that APC would throw away this beautiful baby that they have been nursing for the past years is by shortchanging Ondo South.
“And I tell you, make no mistake about it, that I will mobilize people and friends to say that we are not slaves,” he warned.
He further advised that APC should look inwards very well in order not to undermine Ondo South. This, he said, is because the population of Ondo South is thick with an enormous voting strength that should not be undermined.
“There is a banana peel on the ground and PDP is watching. Even though they are sleeping, they are not dead. PDP is not a toy party and we must be careful of the sentiment of the people,” he added.
Speaking further, Enikuomehin stressed that aside from the fact that Oke had contested the governorship election in the past, he also has the antecedent and background to win the election for the party this time around.
He added that the Ilaje indigenes were now considered a forgotten people since Dr. Olusegun Agagu left office as governor of the state.
He urged the people in the state to leave sentiments aside and ensure that someone who has courage and ability to perform was voted as the next governor, come 2024.
He said, “So far, if we need to plead, we will plead. If we need to talk, we will talk. If we need to persuade, we will persuade.
“Like the man, Oke, said; he said he would introduce agriculture. He said he would build the roads, and houses in those areas as well as put solar lights there. He equally said he would build barracks for the Amotekun. Amotekun has no business being in town. It would be in the forest keeping guard and securing the place,” he stated.
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