By  Osagie Otabor, Akure 

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has disowned the purported adoption of the Zenith Labour Party’s (ZLP’s) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, by a group masquerading as ADC members.

It said no ADC member had joined any other party and affirmed its confidence in its governorship candidate, Prince Dapo Adelegan.

A statement yesterday by ADC National Publicity Secretary Yemi Kolapo described the report as fake and mischievous, “as those involved are not known to either the state or national executives of the party.”

The statement said ADC’s popularity among Ondo indigenes, which had produced House of Representatives members, including Abiola Makinde, could not be played up for pecuniary reasons by those in search of a political platform to actualise their sinister motives.

ADC said: “As a party with integrity, we distance ourselves from the purported adoption of another party’s candidate. Prince Dapo Adelegan, the governorship candidate of ADC in Ondo State, remains the best the state has to offer in terms of the promise to deliver the real dividends of democracy to the good people of Ondo State.

“We stand by our candidate and assure members and stakeholders of victory in the October 10 governorship election in the state.

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“ADC is not in competition with ZLP, but is focused on the governorship race and determined to form the next government of Ondo State. Our politics is purpose-driven and we abhor violence.

“This is the time to vote out non-performance, treachery, corruption and poverty and embrace new, practical initiatives that will take Ondo State to the forefront of development in Nigeria. This is what Prince Adelegan is putting on the table.”

The ADC urged members, stakeholders and the people of Ondo State to disregard the antics of politicians doing the bidding of their paymasters, but in a very amateur manner.

“Dr. Peter Abiola Makinde, the state Chairman, Mrs. Tokunbo Saka; and Board of Trustees member, Chief Johnson Akinlosotu; remain the only leaders who can speak for ADC in Ondo State. The claim to leadership by one Iwaloye and his co-conspirators are not known to the party.

“We are going into the election for victory and nothing short,” the party said.

By  Osagie Otabor, Akure 

MANY former members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.

The defectors joined the PDP at Iju/Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government during the inauguration of Akure North Inter-party Campaign Committee.

They were received by the PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede.

A former candidate for the House of Assembly under the ACPN, Mr. Busuyi Alademehin, said they joined the PDP and mobilised their supporters to vote for the party because of Jegede’s personality.

He said Jegede had always been in touch with the common man and they believed that he (Jegede) would alleviate their sufferings

Alademehin said: “No doubt, we had got tempting offers from the ruling APC begging us to join them, but we turned them down.

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“We are better informed and are not ready to mortgage our future; not after these three and a half years of neglect by those at the helm.”

A former state Chairman of Ondo PDP, Chief Ebenezer Alabi, denied rumours that he joined Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi to defect to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

“People should stop bearing tales about me without clarifying from me.

“I remain a loyal PDP member. The fact that I worked for another candidate before the primary election doesn’t mean I must leave my party once my candidate cannot win.

“So, I am wholly for our governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede. There is no going back,” Alabi said.

Jegede said the PDP would serve people if elected back to power.

He promised to give children quality and affordable education, provide free health services for expectant mothers, nursing mothers and the elderly; and grant financial aid to petty traders and artisans, among others.

Jegede warned those plotting to invade Ondo with mercenaries from other states to rig the October 10 election, “to stop at the state’s borders, as the people are determined to defend their right.”

By  Osagie Otabor, Akure 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has stated reasons the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) cannot campaign with projects executed during the administration of former governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Mimiko is the leader of the ZLP, which has the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, as its governorship candidate and he is expected to lead the ZLP campaigns.

Projects and programmes under contention are the free mother and child treatment, free delivery for expectant mothers, urban renewal, credit facilities for traders and artisans among others.

Spokesman for the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, in an interview with The Nation said the party would lead its campaign with its previous achievements in the state.

He said Ondo State residents were already yearning for those programmes and policies of the party.

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Peretei said: “Before this current administration, treatment for mother and child was free. Expectant mothers were delivered for free and given free treatment. People used to come from neighbouring states to enjoy free treatment offered by the PDP administration. But today people pay through their noses to get treatment for their children. This is what Ondo people are protesting.

“There is the issue of urban renewal. Street used to be kept clean. No refuse anywhere, but this is what we are seeing now. Infrastructures in the markets were put in place with credit facilities for the traders. The issue before Ondo people is the life abundance they enjoyed before and the poverty they are experiencing now.

“We are campaigning with what we have done before and the promise to improve on what we have done.”

When reminded that Mimiko would also campaign with those projects for the ZLP, Peretei said the ZLP was yet to be tested in power and as such had nothing to showcase.

“He did those things not under the ZLP. The ZLP has not been tested. He has to bring out the products from ZLP. Those projects were done under the PDP. He performed well under the PDP. Even if they said he worked under Labour Party. He was SSG under Agagu and later became a minister under Obasanjo. Labour Party in Ondo was an offshoot of the PDP. It will be valid for us to lay credit to these achievements.”

By  Osagie Otabor, Akure 

A former Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, who resigned last month to support the aspiration of Chief Olusegun Abraham, has returned to join forces with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Abegunde had said that Akeredolu would not win the party’s primaries because his administration lacked human face.

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But Chief Abraham was the first to step down for Akeredolu before the party’s primary election.

The former SSG was said to have met Governor Akeredolu on Sunday evening at the Government House, Akure.

The pictures he took with Akeredolu’s son, Babajide and another APC chieftain where he displayed the four plus four sign after the meeting later flooded the social media.