On Saturday, about 3,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State will gather in Akure to elect the party’s flagbearer for the November 27 governorship election. Senator Ajayi Boroffice, widely viewed by political pundits as a major force in the politics of Ondo State, will beat other aspirants of the party to emerge governorship candidate due to fecund and obvious reasons, provided the primary election is credible and transparent.
In addition to his electoral value as the only aspirant who has won elections in succession, the reality in Ondo State today is that the man Boroffice is much as popular in the south and central senatorial districts as he is in the north senatorial district that he has meedfully represented in the last 5 years.
Aside facts that Boroffice enjoys the confidence of the party leadership and possesses intimidating academic credentials, he has shown the untiring capacity to maintain the loyalty of vast majority of APC members and delegates in Ondo State. That is chiefly responsible for why many delegates and party members alike regard Boroffice as the father of progressives in Ondo State. The delegates are quick to remember that until Boroffice joined the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in 2012, the party had no single elected political office holder in Ondo State. No single councilor, no single local government chairman, no single representative in the State Assembly and no representative in the Federal Legislature. He nurtured the growth of the progressive party in Ondo State with his resources and sweat. That foresightedness and investment greatly shaped the Ondo State chapter of the party that has become a darling to politicians with both reasonable and inordinate ambitions.
With his interventionist ideology that is welfarist in approach, Boroffice is the only aspirant that has built 3 Classroom blocks with VIP toilet facilities in over 10 locations and constructed Skill Acquisition Centres in 5 communities. He established Garri Processing Industries in about 5 locations and developed Cashew Processing Industry. There is an Incubation Centre to his credit. He erected a fully-equiped Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the benefits of the people. He established Biofuel Ethanol Plant and Emergency Obstetric Centre. He facilitated the installations of solar-powered street light on over 35 roads. He facilitated the drilling of solar-powered boreholes in over 25 communities.
12 communities enjoy hand pump boreholes to his credit. He installed 500 KVA Transformer in 10 communities. He has empowered over 100 persons through micro credit scheme. He has facilitated the employment of over 50 youths in the public and private sectors. Boroffice has shaped over 80 lives with skill-related empowerment. He has facilitated the distribution of relief materials ranging from bundles of roofing sheets, bags of cements, bags of rice, mosquito nets, mattresses, planks to over 120 persons. Like he distributed dozens of cars and scores of tricycles to the people, he has also donated hundreds of power generating sets, grinding machines and sewing machines to small business owners.
I dare say that in the history of Ondo State, no senator, either dead or alive, has made as much life-changing impacts as Boroffice.
Beyond the capacity of other aspirants, Boroffice has taken his governorship campaign, without noise, to the houses of party delegates across the 203 wards in Ondo State. He has completely local government to local government consultative tour. He has held ward to ward meetings with delegates. He has visited and engaged delegates in their homes and in some cases, we had to park our vehicles and journey on foot through bushy paths for about 5 minutes before accessing the homes of delegates.
In some instances, the out pour of love towards Boroffice and his entourage could hardly be captured by words as some delegates would insist we get overfed before we depart their homes. The good news is that majority of party delegates have assured Boroffice of their support anytime, any day, under sun and in the rain.
Without mincing words, the man Boroffice is best positioned to lead the onslaught against PDP in Ondo State. It should surprise no one if the party delegates return him elected as governorship candidate on Saturday with landslide applause.
Kayode Fakuyi
Media aide to Professor Ajayi Boroffice
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