By Osagie Otabor, Akure

Former spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Banji Okunomo, has attributed reasons why the party and its governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, take campaigns to markets across the state to lack of grassroots appeal for the party.

Okunomo contested at the PDP primaries, but got 90 votes, after which he defected to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Addressing ZLP supporters at a campaign rally at Okitipupa, Okunomo said Jegede opted for market areas to campaign so as to enjoy the natural gathering of people, because people gather in market areas or motor parks and not about people coming out to embrace the party.

He said the PDP had lost out in the October 10 governorship election because it fielded a candidate whose zone was not the turn to produce the governor.

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Okunomo said it was not yet the turn of Ondo Central to produce the governor as expressed by the Minister of State for Niger/Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who hails from Akure South in Ondo Central.

He said the October 10 poll was between the ZLP and the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that the majority of them formerly working for the PDP had abandoned the party for the structure loyal to Jegede.

Okunomo said: “Now, PDP has again picked from the wrong zone, Ondo Central and the people are saying no, including a minister who is their son from Akure.

“My people, it is not the turn of the Central to produce the governor, thus the election is a straight contest between the candidate of the APC and the ZLP. But I’m optimistic that what affects Jegede also affects the incumbent governor of Ondo State from Ondo North Senatorial District, who also the APC standard-bearer.

Although the constitution permits him to run if he so wishes, the people are against him based on number one factor, which is zoning.”

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged monarchs in Ondo State to promote peace and ensure the electorate complied with COVID-19 protocols during the October 10 governorship election.

INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made the appeal when he met with traditional rulers on the governorship election in Akure.

He said the meeting was to solicit monarchs’ support to impress on their subjects the need to maintain peace and shun violence through the process leading to the election and after.

“Basically, we seek your support in three ways. First, to continue to appeal to parties’ candidates and their supporters for peace, as you have always done in your domains.

“Secondly, to call on your people to observe the rules of personal and public safety.

“This is an election conducted in the context of a global health emergency -the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for voters to vote and go home in safety.

“Thirdly, we seek your prayers for peace in Ondo State. We also seek your prayers for INEC that the election to be held on October 10 will be peaceful free, fair, transparent and credible.

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“Edo governorship poll was a good election. We are determined that Ondo 2020 is going to be better. We did so in 2016. This commission conducted the last election despite the tension before the poll.

“It was one of the best elections conducted by INEC such that it remains the only governorship election in the history of Ondo State since 1999 whose outcome was not challenged in court.”

Yakubu said while the election was taking place in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, INEC was working to ensure safety, based on advice from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

“INEC is making available face masks, face shields, mentholated spirit and cotton wood to clean the smart card readers after each voter has been accredited to vote, while also providing hand sanitiser.

“The Presidential Task Force has also helped us with infrared thermometers to be used in each polling unit.

“However, where voters, INEC officials, or security agents show symptoms, we have arranged with PTF and the Ondo State COVID-19 response team to evacuate such persons to their isolation centres for treatment.

“Learning from my experience in Edo State, social distancing at the polling unit level was not properly observed.

“We believe that your royal majesties will help us by adding your powerful voices to call for compliance with this important safety requirement.

“This will strengthen our message that no voter will be allowed to vote, unless he or she wears the face mask. No face mask, no voting,” Yakubu said.

He assured the royal fathers that the commission was ready for the election, stressing that INEC would be neutral and professional in the conduct of the election.

“Only the voters in Ondo State will determine who becomes the next governor on Saturday October 10.”

Oba Frederick Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo and Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, speaking earlier at the meeting, hailed the INEC chairman and the commission’s performance at the Edo governorship election.

He urged INEC to do same in Ondo State by ensuring that the election was free, fair and credible.

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

The Medical Committee of Akeredolu/Ayedatiwa Campaign Organisation has begun free services and treatment for over 70,000 residents.

It said it hoped to offer free treatment to 4,000 persons in each of the 18 local governments.

The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Simidele Michael Odimayo, said at the launch of the free medical outreach in Akure that the free medical outreach was initiated by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu because of his concern for the health and welfare of the people.

Read Also: Why I will win Ondo poll, by Akeredolu

“In the course of the campaign as a whole, we target about 70,000 people. In this outreach alone, we are targeting 15,000 people, that is 5,000 in each senatorial district.

“In each of the local governments we have been doing, our target is 4,000 and we have been doing that, reaching out to people for medical services.

“Governor Akeredolu wanted us to put this up to benefit the people. The set-up is basically about care and welfarism,” he said.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Temitayo Oluwatuyi urged residents to take advantage of the outreach, saying the free treatment could be extended if the volume of people increased.

Our Reporter

The Minister of State for Niger/Delta Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, has drummed support for Ondo State governor, Oluwrotimi Akeredolu (SAN), assuring that he is the anointed candidate of the Akure Kingdom.

The Minister, a native of Iju/Itaogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area (LGAs) of the state who spoke while addressing his kinsmen, said the candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, is merely wasting his time

Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), hails from Akure South.

Addressing a crowd of party supporters in Ogbese and Oba Ile in Akure North yesterday, Alasoadura said Akeredolu is the preferred candidate of Akure people.

The Minister added that it is not yet the time of Akure ethnic nationality to produce the Governor of Ondo State, stressing that the Northern Senatorial District where Akeredolu hails from should be allowed to complete its two terms of eight years.

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“I am an Akure man and I can say very confidently the position of Akure people. Our candidate in Akure Kingdom is Akeredolu because we love justice and equity.

“Akeredolu is from the North. Akure is from the Central. The Central just completed eight years, the North should be allowed to complete their eight years. When next the position comes back to the Central, Akure will take the spot because Mimiko has used the slot of Ondo Kingdom.

“Besides, my brother, Jegede is merely wasting his time. We shall defeat him in the two Local Government in a level playing ground. Akeredolu is the man to beat in the two Local Governments in Akure kingdom,” Alasoadura said.

 

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

Former Ondo Governor and leader of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and his successor, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the weekend traded blames over performance indexes.

Mimiko, at a campaign rally at Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government, said said Akeredolu was a disappointment to the people of the state.

Mimiko told the crowd that candidate of the ZLP, Hon Agboola Ajayi, would right all the wrongs of the APC led administration.

The former Ondo Governor described Akeredolu’s policy as anti-people especially the cancellation of free health and increase in tuition fees paid by tertiary institutions in the state.

Mimiko stated he worked with three governors before emerging as governor for eight years but Akeredolu failed in all critical sectors affecting well-being of the people.

He urged the people vote out Akeredolu stating that Akeredolu has vowed to go back to his base if not voted for.

Read Also: Ondo 2020: Akeredolu floors, Agboola, Jegede in mock poll

The former Governor said his successor failed to build on the successes recorded in the health and education sectors during his tenure as Governor.

According to him: “The government of Akeredolu claim to performance is nothing but falsehood as all indices showed otherwise.

“There is no person that will say he has not performed. But how do we differentiate performance? Any government that has not democratised education is a bad government.

“This government that hiked school fee is a bad government. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people. Anybody that votes Akeredolu is selling his children future.

“Any government that does not y health free is your enemy. Akeredolu’s government is an enemy of the people by cancelling mother and child and free health for children.

“Any time they come here to campaign for votes ask him, where is our shuttle buses? Where is our abiye?

“The government that cancelled trauma centre is your enemy. “This government has not performed, he is anti-people.

“Any government that fails to democratise acces to education, health and other essentials services to the people is not a good government.”

Ajayi, on his part, said he has listened to thr cries of the people and offered himself as alternative to this misrule of Akeredolu.

But Governor Akeredolu, who spoke through his spokesman of his campaign organisation, Olatunde Richard, said it was unfortunate that Mimiko who sacked over 10,000 workers in the state is calling the hs administration anti-people government.

Akeredolu said he has not not sacked anybody in the state workforce either at the local or state level.

He said lecturers that were sacked unjustly at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic,Owo and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko were alive to bear witness to the anti people government of Mimiko.

According to him: “These workers were only reinstated by Governor Akeredolu.

“Because of Politics, Mimiko killed the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH). What’s more anti -people than the actions of Mimiko in abandoning the various projects left behind by the late Olusegun Agagu?

“The Akeredolu administration came and realized Mimiko only have two mother and child hospital in the whole of the state. Governor Akeredolu has now expanded from two to seven and they are now across the three senatorial district of the state. As we speak, work is ongoing at the Teaching hospital both in Ondo and Akure. Arakunrin Akeredolu has introduced the Contributory health scheme which has also brought about free health care service for children under the age of five and pregnant women.

“So, on health, Governor Akeredolu has surpassed Mimiko in achievements, just as the Akeredolu administration has recorded significant stride in education and people’s welfare.Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government.”