Tag: Ondo 2016

SIX weeks to the November 26, 2016 Ondo Governorship Election, all is not well with and within the contesting parties. From the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the main opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) and the third force, Alliance for Democracy(AD), the major parties are dogged by one crisis or the other.

Disagreements and internal wrangling are not unexpected within parties towards an election as important as a governorship poll. But the situations within the major parties in Ondo in the run-off to the gubernatorial race are quite complex and complicated.

The contending forces within the parties have certainly drawn the battle lines with no consideration for rapprochement. With many of them, it is a battle to the finish. The development is worsening tensions in the sunshine state with security forces really worried about possible breakdown of law and order before, during and after the poll.

Beside the security implication, the internal wrangling among the parties is complicating the process for the exercise with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hard-pressed on the direction to go. The electoral body is seriously strained on logistics as well as general conduct of the poll.

The troubles with AD

Since the September 3, 2016 disputed primary of the APC, the party, considered the biggest threat to the ruling PDP has been reeling from one crisis to the other. The declared runner-up, Dr Olusegun Abraham, has vowed to fight what he called the manipulation of the process in favour of the declared winner, Rotimi Akeredolu.

But rather than remain in the party, another leading contestant, Chief Olusola Oke, moved to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) where he picked up the governorship ticket. Dr Akin Olowokere, who won the primary of the AD, reportedly gave up the ticket for Oke, willingly.

On the surface, the AD, which appeared as the third force in the race, seemed to have perfected its art. Olowokere made no fuss with the ticket and substitution of his candidature for Oke. Party chieftains, according to sources, had convinced him to hand over the mandate to Oke, who they believe has more chances to win the poll.

Oke, the former PDP governorship candidate in 2012, is no pushover by all means. He was also National Publicity Secretary of the party during which he built structure and goodwill across the state.

So, when he moved to the AD on October 1, chieftains thought they had caught a big fish. His name and stature should win sympathy for the party; his deep pocket is also a favourable factor. Since the arrangement was to cede the ticket to him, Oke must have also felt he was in good company.

But three days later, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullah, led a faction of the party to reject the candidature of Oke. In a communiqué after a meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, attended by AD’s Deputy National Chairman, Malam Musa Shehu Loyi, Abdullah said: “Chief Olusola Oke is hereby not adopted as the flag bearer of Alliance for Democracy in the November 26th, 2016 gubernatorial election in Ondo State.”

Abdullah said that the National Working Committee (NEC) of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was unaware of Oke’s candidature. He added none of the National Leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) at the National Working Committee (NWC) was carried along in the choice of Oke.

He condemned the party’s National Secretary, Akin Fasogbon, the National Auditor, Mr. Ismael Ayodele and Southwest Zonal Chairman, Chief Tayo Onayemi, for the roles they allegedly played in the emergence of Oke.

But rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, chieftains of the party reaffirmed Oke remains the candidate of the party.

AD’s National Vice Chairman, North-East, Alhaji Magaji Kwairanga, said: “Chief Oke’s name and that of his deputy have been duly submitted to INEC as candidates of the party in the coming election as stipulated by the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.”

He said there was nothing dubious or untoward in the emergence of Oke. According to him:“It is a known fact that Dr. Akin Olowokere handed over the gubernatorial ticket of Alliance for Democracy voluntarily to Chief Oke.

“It is also a truism that the State Chapter of Alliance for Democracy, our great party was involved and consented to the candidature of Chief Olusola Oke, therefore the National Chairman and Secretary of the party are constitutionally empowered to forward the name of Chief Olusola Oke to INEC, considering the constraint of time.

“Let us also state that the NEC has no issue and if there are issues relating to NEC meeting, which is internal affairs of the party, the issues will be handled internally.

“As we speak here, Chief Olusola Oke’s name has been duly submitted to INEC as the candidate of our party. Now that we have a candidate who can win election for our party, it is our duty as party leaders to support him and put our party back on winning ways.”

Though that clarification should ordinarily have put the contention to rest, sources said the displaced National Chairman of the party, Chief Mojisola Akinfenwa, is desperate to put Oke’s ambition in jeopardy. This, it was gathered, is because of the belief that elements that collapsed the once thriving AD were back in the party because of Oke.

A source close to him told our correspondent: “Chief’s anger is with the same people that damaged the party years ago. He stayed put and kept the structure. Now, they want to return to use the same structure to achieve their aim. If he had left like them, will there be somewhere for them to return to?”

Besides the Akinfenwa’s faction, the party is incensed that some powerful forces have bought Oke who they dismissed as a “serial decampee” to run the party’s ticket. The chances that he won’t return to the PDP should he win the contest are rather high, the camp maintains.

But Oke’s supporters are insistent he is a good catch for the party. With him, they say AD stands a big chance of winning the race, especially with the crisis within the APC and PDP. “The truth of the matter is that the crises in those parties are in our favour. They win fight themselves to the point that their members will eventually vote for us,” Toye Adeosun, a staunch supporter, said.

He added: “We are the third force. The ones specially positioned to profit from the internal crises among us. Chief will carry the day, I have no doubt.”

Oke has already picked Gani Dauda as his running mate. The former House of Representatives member is from Irun Akoko. His Muslim background, according to Oke’s supporters, is in deference to agitation from the four local government areas of Akoko land for a Muslim deputy governorship ticket.

Oke is also seen as representing the aggrieved APC governorship aspirants, most of who are allegedly working behind the scene to ensure his emergence.

But how far can Oke go? Won’t the forces within the AD that are not comfortable with him act as spoilers? Will the forces backing him outmuscle those against him? These are the major questions that remain to be answered.

PDP’s many headaches

The state chapter of the PDP is not spared the same headache being experienced by Oke and his party. Following last week’s order by the  Federal High Court that Jimoh Ibrahim, and not Eyitayo Jegede, is the authentic governorship candidate of the ruling party, the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led political party has known no peace.

The development, coming at a time the party went all out to sell its candidate to the electorate across the state, left many of its leaders and strategists confused. According to a very reliable source within the Jegede campaign organisation, Mimiko and the candidate were jolted by the ruling. The party, we learnt, is working round the clock to nip the problem in the bud early so as to minimize the negative effect it will have on the PDP’s chances at the general election.

Already, the national leadership of the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP has said Jegede remains the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the November 26, 2016 Ondo election. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the Ondo PDP does not recognise the business mogul, Prince Jimoh Ibrahim, as its candidate in the state.

According to Adeyeye, the ruling of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday, October 14, 2016,  does not in any way affect the matter of the PDP candidacy in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Eyitayo Jegede remains the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday, November 26, 2016 Ondo State Governorship Election. We therefore call on all our members, teeming supporters and the electorates in Ondo State not to allow this ruling to distract them; but should continue with the gubernatorial campaigns to ensure the victory of our flag bearer, Hon. Eyitayo Jegede in the election,” Adeyeye explained.

But the embattled National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, says the court judgment has resolved the crisis in Ondo PDP as Ibrahim is now the party’s candidate for the November election. In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Yemi Akintomide, the faction described the judgment as “victory for democracy, the triumph of truth over falsehood, Godliness over godfatherism and a sweet beginning of a new dawn for the state.

“The judgment has further enhanced the course of democracy and rekindles our hope for better Nigeria through the instrumentality of law by correcting the wrong done by INEC, where Mr. Eyitayo Jegede was erroneously listed as the PDP candidate in place of the rightful person, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim,” the party said.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, had penultimate Friday, ordered INEC to accept Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State. Abang ruled that “INEC should accept for the conduct of Ondo State Governorship Election only the nomination of Ibrahim for Ondo PDP.

According to sources, the development has thrown spanners into the works for the PDP and Governor Mimiko as many of their supporters are left to await the outcome of the confusion created by the judgement. To many of the volunteers working on the campaign train of Jegede, the judgement is very discouraging and is indeed a big setback.

“Don’t forget that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has made it clear that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of a party could nominate the governorship candidate of parties. If a judgement now says Sherrif is the authentic National Chairman, then his faction is expected to produce the candidate. You can imagine where that leaves us,” a former lawmaker, who is a chieftain of the Jegede campaign organisation, told The Nation.

To further compound the confusion in the party, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), earlier in the week, reportedly said it will remove the name of Eyitayo Jegede and replace it with that of Ibrahim Jimoh as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for next month’s governorship election in Ondo State. The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Rotimi Oyekanmni, according to media reports, said the commission would abide by the order to accept Ibrahim when served with the valid court judgement.

Party sources said the commission has communicated to the national leadership of the PDP seeking more information on the judgement.

‘What is being awaited is the position of the leadership of the party recognized by the judgement. We are told INEC has communicated to Sherriff to send the names of the candidate and his deputy. Once this is done, we fear Jegede’s name may be removed. We also hear the Makarfi’s faction is about to appeal the judgement. There is so much confusion,” a party chieftain said.

Giving bite to the fear that the commission may have turned to the Sherriff camp to furnish it with the candidate’s name and particulars, Oyekamni said INEC as a creation of the law would obey any order validly made by a court of competent jurisdiction.

He said if there is another court order superior to the earlier one, the commission will also reverse its action.

So instead of launching out for the governorship election, the three leading political parties in Ondo State are currently embroiled in their various internal battles. It remains to be seen where the outcome of these battles will leave the various parties.

Since the 2007 governorship election in Ondo State, there appears not to have been an election as anticipated as the forthcoming November guber poll in the Sunshine state. Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, reports that in spite of the presence of nearly 30 candidates and political parties in the race, the election is actually a three horse race between candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and the newly revitalised Alliance for Democracy (AD).

IN the political history of Ondo State, apart from the 2007 governorship election, when the incumbent governor, Olusegun Mimiko, then of the Labour Party (LP), challenged the then governor, Olusegun Agagu, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and successfully dethroned the later, after years of legal tussle, the forthcoming gubernatorial election, slated for the 26 November, 2016 promises to be the most competitive.

Pundits say as the race to produce the successor to Governor Mimiko heats up, the stakes are getting higher and the contending political parties and candidates are leaving no one in doubt of their determination to win the coveted seat. While the ruling PDP insists there is much need for it to continue in government to protect as well as build on its many achievement in the last eight years, the opposition parties are of the opinion that the state is in dire need of new hands to steer it out of acute underdevelopment of the past years.

Consequently, the people are left to expect, and possibly make the best use of a contest that many analysts say, with the determination of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a level playing ground, and the huge local and international awareness already created for the polls by the many controversies that trailed the primary elections of the two leading political parties, will be fiercely contested across the three senatorial districts.

Joju Olowoyalumo, Country Director of Committee for Credible Election (CCE), told The Nation that his group has been monitoring political activities and campaigns in the state for nearly a year now, in anticipation of the coming election. According to him, the people of the state are currently being exposed to numerous political opinions and choices on a daily basis.

“The scenario in Ondo today, especially for the voting electorate, is that of a crucial time to make a choice. The race is a keen one. There are many factors to consider and the many stakeholders are doing everything possible to sell their messages and candidates to the people ahead of the election. Consequently, the people get to hear and see a lot as they struggle to make the choice of who to cast their vote for.

The many controversies that trailed and are still trailing the primary elections are part of the confusion on ground. The people are left talking about the implications of the crises that engulfed PDP and APC after their primaries. Many people will be voting after considering what will become of their preferred candidate after the election.

I’ve had the opportunity to listent to people who feels voting for PDP may not be wise because the party currently parades two governorship candidates. With Jimoh Ibrahim now in court seeking the nullification of Tayo Jegede’s nomination as the PDP governorship candidate, they fear anything can still happen to alter the status quo.

There are those who also feels the controversy that trailed the emergence of Rotimi Akeredolu as the governorship candidate of the APC has affected the party’s chances at the polls. People in this school of thought would tell you the inability of the opposition party to pacify the aggrieved aspirants who lost the ticket to Akeredolu may affect the party’s chances.

And to some, it is no longer wise to underrate the chances of the AD following the crises in APC and PDP as well as the defection of Olusola Oke to the party, and his eventual emergence as its governorship flag bearer. To them, the race is now very open and more competitive,” Olowoyalumo explained.

Mimiko factor

As the election draws nearer, many commentators have identified incumbent Governor Mimiko as one of the factors that will determine the eventual determine the outcome of the much debated governorship election in November. This line of thought is however in two folds. There are those who will tell you Mimiko’s performance will deliver the votes for PDP and its candidate; as well, we have those who are sure Mimiko’s under-performance will give the day to the opposition.

To those who believe PDP will win the election against all odds, the impressive achievements of Governor Mimiko is a guarantee of the success of its candidate come November. These are people who believe the Governor has impacted positively on the lives of the people of the state in the last eight years.

PDP’s Director of Publicity in the state, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, said the excellent performance can be attested to by people of the state who are enjoying  the dividends of democracy. He is therefore certain that Jegede will trounce any of his opponents effortlessly at the governorship poll.

“Mimiko has been able to make a lot of transformation in every area of governance since becoming the governor of the state six years ago. Specifically, the Mimiko -led administration has been able to  distinguish itself in the areas Education, Health, Agriculture ,Transport, Urban removal, Community development, Housing and Sports among others.”

“A caring heart school tagged Mega School was designed and situated at the three senatorial districts of the state. The facilities provided by the mega school meant for primary school pupils have generally been agreed to be of no equal in the African continent.

The state also has in place an agency which is basically saddled with the responsibility of maintaining high standard in schools in the state , tagged Quality Assurance Agency. through it, the government uses its field inspectors to monitor activities of both teachers and students for optimal performance,” he said.

According to him, “Mimiko’s government that has decided and delivered medical health services to people and the people of the state know this very well and will vote for the party”. He expressed optimism that the people of the state, will on November 26, use their votes to say thank you to the outgoing governor.

But a former chieftain of the ruling party in the state who recently decamped to the opposition APC, insist Mimiko’s lackluster performance as governor has finally opened up the state for the opposition to hijack from the PDP. Babalola Durotoye, who was a former scribe of the All Peoples Party in the state, expressed optimism that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would rule Ondo State after the next election.

Speaking with The Nation, the APC chieftain said although Mimiko did fairly in his first term in office, he failed to live up to expectation after he was elected for a second term in 2012. He opined that the people of the state are fed up with the current state of under development and poverty imposed on them by the ruling party.

“As we speak, nothing is working in the state.  We have had to endure a greedy and insensitive administration under Mimiko that has not been able to develop the state for four years. It will be unthinkable for him to imagine that Ondo people will give him a third term in November. The effect of the clueless style of governance is felt all over the state.

“Since 2012 when the administration took off for second term, it has been performing as if it has completely lost focus. Honestly,It is as if Governor Mimiko was not prepared for second term, because governmental activities  in the state have remained static. I have no doubt that the people will reject Mimiko and his party at the polls in November.

How the blocs may vote

The sectional agitations for power amongst the three senatorial district in the state is another factor that will shape the governorship election. Already pundits are fearing a situation where the three district may simply deliver their block votes to candidates from their various districts. These fear is heightened by the emergence of the candidates of the three leading parties from each of the districts.

While Jegede, former Attorney General and candidate of the PDP is from Akure in the central senatorial district, Akeredolu of the APC, who contested against Mimiko in 2012, is from Owo in the north senatorial district. Oke, who is flying the banner of the revitalized AD, is from the southern senatorial district.

All the three zones are laying claims to the seat legitimately, because, according to analysts, the position has rotated round the zones in past years. The Northhas produced the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Adebayo Adefarati as governor of the state. The South has produced the late Dr Olusegun Agagu. The incumbent, Dr Mimiko, is from the Central.

But a new dimension has been introduced into the zoning debate after the emergence of the candidates. For example, the people of Akure are saying it is the turn of the zone to produce the governor because since the creation of the state, no Akure indigene has occupied the position. The argument is that of the five old divisions in the state, it is only Akure that is yet to produce the governor.

“Ajasin had come from Owo division, Adefarati from Akoko, Agagu from Okitipupa and Mimiko from Ondo. Akure is the fifth division we had in old Ondo state. You will agree that fairness and equity dictate that Akure division has one of its own calling the shots in the state from February 23, 2017.

That is why we are clamoring that the party that has given our son a chance should be supported by our people for the job. We are calling on our brothers and sisters from the other divisions to support Jegede in the next election. It is the only fair thing to do considering that all other divisions have had their chances,” a chieftain of the PDP told The Nation.

The Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, recently said he is supporting the call for an Akure-indigene-for-governor based on the need for fairness, equity and oneness in the state.

“We are not hell-bent on the issue of Akure division for governor but I also believe that it is not out of place for the Akure division to aspire to the number one position in the state, just as every other zone has equal right to contest. We are not saying we should get this on a silver platter; we will work for it, we will consult, we will reach out and dialogue with other zones on the need to support us in this quest.

“If any of the major political party picks an Akure man, I am duty-bound to support him. I have a strong conviction that there are qualified sons and daughters of Akure who can continue the good work of this present administration and bring their experiences to bear in making the state even better than the present administration is going to leave it,” Oba Aladelusi had said.

But the people of the northern senatorial district continues to put a lie to the claim by Akure people. In the south, political leaders across party lines insist it is unacceptable for Ondo central, where Governor Mimiko hails from to produce the next governor of the state. Not a few analyst are convinced the choice of Jegede may cost PDP the governorship seat.

“It is simply unacceptable and unimaginable. Mimiko is from the central senatorial district and his party has nominated Jegede who is also from the same central senatorial district as candidate. I don’t see how PDP will win the election in a state where the agitation for zoning is so rife. The voting pattern will surely reflect this scenario.

Now that we have three candidates from the three senatorial districts running on the platform of the three frontline political parties, the election will surely be keenly contested. While the central senatorial district is now seen as the stronghold of the ruling PDP given that its candidate, Jegede i from there, the south is expected to go with AD and their son Sola Oke. In the northern senatorial district, Akeredolu of the APC, who is from Owo, is seen as the favorite.

Should the blocs vote in this manner, the election, according to analysts, may be decided by stray votes and other unaligned voters who may decides to ignore the agitations of their various zones while casting their votes. Whatever happens, the election promises to be a keenly contested one.

As stakeholders work round the clock to resolve the issues that trailed the hotly contested All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Ondo State, Sunday Oguntola monitors the development and asks if the party be able to close ranks and approach the November 26 governorship election on a united front 

CONCERNED chieftains and stakeholders in All Progressives Congress (APC) are working round the clock to resolve the nagging crisis resulting from the disputed September 3 primary of the party in Ondo State.

Our correspondent confirmed last week that plans were afoot to find an internal political solution to the crisis that has turned hitherto associates to antagonists.

Running against time

Governors, under the platform of Progressives Forum, as well as other leading chieftains of the party are said to be reaching out to aggrieved elements with a view to finding an acceptable solution to the crisis.

They are said to be aware that the party has less than a week to resolve the crisis or be damned. According to the INEC guideline, parties have up to September 19 to drop or substitute the name of submitted candidates.

“If we don’t get it right before September 19, we can as well kiss the governorship election goodbye,” a chieftain of the party in the South West confided in our correspondent last Thursday.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rotimi Akeredolu, was declared winner the contested primary with 669 votes. His closest rival, Olusegun Abraham, polled 635 votes.

Origins of disputed primary

Others who contested the primary election were Olusola Oke, Tunji Abayomi, Professor Robert Ajayi Boroffice, Olabode Mathew Ayorinde, Victor Olabimtan, and Akinyelure Ayo.

Others are: Alasoadura Omotayo, Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa Akintola, Ekungba Afolabi, Oyewumi Taiwo, Anifowoshe Jumoke and Ariyomo Olatunji.

Niran-Oladunni Moyosola, Adegbonmire Adeniyi (SAN), Adegoroye Ademola, Adesida-Abiodun Aderin, Adetula Olubukola, Adefemi Mayowa, Akingbade Akinwale, Akinola Akinyinka, Akinrinsola Odumayo and Akintelure Paul completed the list.

Many of them rejected the results declared by the Election Committee, alleging the delegates’ list was already tampered with and doctored.

They accused the National Working Committee (NWC) of tinkering with the list and replacing no fewer than 150 fictitious names with the one that produced the declared winner.

More revelations have trailed the accusation since September 3. The party, which was poised to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recognized candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, a run for his money had been contending with controversies.

Following the dispute over the primary, the Appeal Committee recommended a fresh exercise to calm frayed nerves. It observed that infractions were indeed committed during the contested poll. For the sake of justice and peace, it suggested unequivocally that a fresh primary had to be submitted.

Reports have since revealed that the recommendation was indeed tabled before the NWC where a vote split of six to five was recorded in favour of a fresh primary. But in dramatic twists, national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigun-Oyegun, was reported to have overruled the body.

He reportedly went ahead to forward the name of Akeredolu to the electoral commission, a move that has clearly polarised the party and thrown it in an almost irretrievable crisis.

Cries for justice

National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, fired the first salvo, accusing Oyegun of acting in bad faith. The APC chairman’s action, he said, amounts to safeguarding “the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud.”

He called for his resignation, saying the action amounts to destroying the very fabrics of the party that Nigerians massively voted to engineer change in March 2015.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar agreed with the former Lagos governor in tearing Oyegun apart. He said: “you cannot break your own rules without creating problems.”

His statement added: “It was wrong for the APC to have set aside a resolution it had reached aimed at resolving the crisis in our party in Ondo State. It is a recipe for acrimony and division.”

National Vice Chairman (South West), Chief Pius Akinyelure, categorically declared the primary was rigged in favour of Akeredolu. He fingered Oyegun, National Secretary Mai Mala Buni and National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, as masterminds of the plot to manipulate the delegate list in Akeredolu’s favour.

Akinyelure, in a statement, explained: “The National Organising Secretary confirmed to the NWC meeting of Monday September 19, 2016 that he actually received objections from some of the aspirants to the delegates’ list. Then he unilaterally made the adjustment as he deemed fit.

“It is emphasised that the National Organising Secretary performed these adjustments without recourse or reference to the NWC. The NWC was not apprised of his actions before the primary.

“The National Organising Secretary then issued this altered list to the Primary Election Committee for use in the conduct of the election.

“This altered list became available to some of the aspirants in the early hours of the election day (September 3, 2016). When the election process was about to commence, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and three other aspirants protested and raised objection as to the delegates’ list to the election committee.

“However, the committee members could not address it as it was not within their competence to do so. They went ahead with the conduct of the election.

“After the declaration of the results of the election by the committee, the three aspirants petitioned the Election Appeal Committee, alleging discrepancies and the alteration of the delegates’ list provided to them by the election committee and other irregularities.

 “Consequent on the above, the NWC of the party received both the Election Committee and the Election Appeal Committee’s reports, which were tabled at the NWC meeting of Monday, September 19, 2016.

“A decision by the NWC to submit the name of an interim substitute to INEC as place holder until a fresh primary was conducted suffered a setback after Oyegun, Buni and Izunaso blindsided the other members to submit Akeredolu’s name in spite of a six to five votes in favour of presenting the substitute name.”

Echoes of discordance

When pressed, Oyegun insisted that only INEC can replace the name of the submitted candidate. That stance has further stoked the fires of divisions within the party with many opting out of the ship.

Most supporters of the aggrieved aspirants have since jumped ship. Olusola Oke, one of the leading aspirants, last week decamped to the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He bagged the ticket of the party after chieftains convinced Akin Olowookere, the former candidate, to drop his ambition.

Oke has picked Gani Dauda, former House of Representatives member for Akoko North East and Akoko North West, as his running mate.  There are indications that some powerful forces within the APC are behind the duo’s ticket.

There are unconfirmed reports that the other aggrieved aspirants are staying put to work against Akeredolu’s victory at the general elections. But many of them, according to sources, are banking on ongoing rapprochements among the party’s leaders. They are believed to be hoping that the perceived injustice will be redressed before the October 19 deadline for substitution of candidate’s name expires.

But some forces in the party believe that Akeredolu’s nomination is a done-deal as far as Oyegun and other blocs within the APC are concerned. Should that development play out, they are said to be prepared to fight the ‘injustice’ to a standstill from within.

Abraham has already declared the APC will lose if the nomination of Akeredolu stands. He said Oyegun committed a monumental mistake that will cost the party dearly. Abraham stressed: “I don’t want to say he has committed fraud, being an elderly person. But he should apologise to the people of Ondo State, Nigerians and President Muhammadu Buhari.

“By his action, he has rubbished the anti-corruption stance of this government. He has belittled the intellect of Nigerians and they would not cast their votes for the APC on November 26.

“The interest of the party should be the utmost in the mind of the chairman, but unfortunately this is not so.”

While the APC is oscillating on which direction to go, the ruling PDP is smiling expectedly. The party believes the discordant tunes in the APC are most welcome developments. But the APC can still spring a comeback if frayed nerves are calmed. But will powerful forces within the party do the needful?

Or will the party allow the division to fester and willfully hand Ondo State back to the PDP? Events in the next one week will surely tell.

With the Edo governorship election done with, the ruling All Progressievs Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now have their eyes on the Ondo state governor’s Lodge. According to the time-table released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the two parties will again go to another political battle on November 26 to determine who succeed outgoing Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the PDP.  In this report, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports that certain issues cannot be wished away in the final analysis of the looming political battle.

The governorship election in Ondo State will be held on Saturday November 26, 2016. On that day, the people of the Sunshine state will go to the polls to elect a successor for outgoing Governor Olusegun Mimiko,  who is rounding off his second term in office. Expectedly, the stakes are high as the state, known for the volatile nature of its politics, has started experiencing severe political heat as political parties and candidates for the election have embarked on efforts to woo voters ahead of the election.

To set the stage for the grand political contest, the electoral umpire recently released a schedule of activities for the governorship election in concert with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Sunday, the 28th of August 2016, has been scheduled for commencement of campaigns in the state.

Also, the conduct of party primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, was slated for between Thursday, 18th August to Monday 19th September, 2016, while publication of the official register of voters for the election will be done on Tuesday, 27th of October 2016, while publication of list of nominated candidates will be done on the same day. Similarly, Thursday, the 24th of November 2016 has been fixed by the Commission as the last day of Campaigns by all political parties.

In line with the released time table, political parties participating in the election have all conducted primary elections that have led to the emergence of candidates, though issues continue to trail the primary elections conducted by some of the parties, especially the APC and the ruling PDP. Many political analysts are of the opinion that the last has not been heard of the many objections raised in some quarters, to the candidature of both Rotimi Akeredolu and Eyitayo Jegede, of the APC and PDP respectively.

A PDP governorship candidate in the State, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, has filed a suit against the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of the party. The suit, which was filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, is challenging the emergence of Jegede as the party’s candidate and the conduct of the primary for the party’s governorship candidate for the November 26 election by the Makarfi faction.

Ibrahim joined as defendants, Senators Ben Obi, Odion Ugbesia, and Abdul Ningi. Others are Karibu Usman, Dayo Adeyeye, Aisha Aliyu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Hearing in the matter is still ongoing and not a few persons, within and outside the party, are worried that its outcome will significantly affect the parties chances and preparation for the November poll.

Similarly, three other top aspirants of the APC insist they will not accept Akeredolu’s nomination by the party’s national chairman as its governorhsip candidate. This is just as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) remained polarized over the submission of Akeredolu’s name to INEC by the national chairman, Odigie Oyegun.

The three aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, Dr. Olusegun Abraham and a ranking Senator, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, had earlier filed petitions against the results of the September 3 primary election of the party, insisting Akeredolu’s emergence was unacceptable. Addressing a joint news conference in Akure recently, the  spokesman of the aggrieved group, Boroffice, strongly condemned Oyegun for overruling the position of the majority members of NWC on their petitions.

“We are widely consulting and would make public the next line of action that will liberate our people from the present state of hopelessness and despair,” Boroffice said, creating a very strong impression that Akeredolu’s candidacy may create further problems for the party in its quest to wrestle the governance of the state from the grip of the PDP.

But it appears INEC, with Friday’s announcement that thirty people will be contesting the governorship election of Ondo State, on November the 26th, has found a way of laying the matters to rest for now. In the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, Eyitayo Jegede is the candidate of the PDP, and Rotimi Akeredolu is that of the APC.

Zoning still a factor

With the two frontline political parties having settled for their candidates so to speak, many pundits say the earlier clamor for the tickets to be zoned to certain parts of the state will still play very significant roles in the coming election. As it is, both the APC and the ruling PDP will have many questions to answer over the zoning issue when they eventually hit the streets to campaign.

While the APC may have satisfied the yearnings of the people of the northern senatorial district for the coveted governorship seat, the PDP, following its decision to pick its candidate from the same Central senatorial district as the outgoing governor, may find it difficult to get the support of voters in Akokoland and other parts of the northern zone of the state.

Even within the ruling party, there has been strong agitation for the ticket to be given to the northern senatorial district. Governorship aspirants and some leaders of the party from the northern senatorial district of the state had rejected alleged plots for the party’s candidate to emerge from the Central senatorial district.

In a communique issued and assigned by the aspirants, Senator Remi Okunrinboye, Rt. Hon. Dr. Bakkita Bello, Bamiduro Dada, Prince Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi, Dare Emiola, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, Dayo Fadahunsi, Yekini Olanipekun among others, revealed that there was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached by the state leadership of the party towards the October 20, 2012 governorship election. They noted that the agreement is to rotate the picking of the party candidate among the north, central senatorial district, adding that it is the turn of the north to produce the party candidate since the last governorship election in 2012.

The communique read, “consequent upon the recent development in our great party, in Ondo State, where the Governor Mimiko at a meeting with the state and local government official and delegates of the party across the state, declared his endorsement of an aspirant from the central senatorial district as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for the November 26, 2016 election.

“This position of Mr. Governor is considered a miscalculation that will further put Ondo North Senatorial District at a serious political disadvantage, putting the state PDP at a loss and laying bad precedence in the state. That all the undersigned leader align their position with the rotational/zoning principle of our party. This is in accordance with the MOU reached by the state leadership of the party towards the October 20, 2012 election, that the governorship of the state be rotated amongst the three senatorial districts.”

But the APC will have its fair share of trouble over zoning in the southern senatorial district where agitation was also very strong for the party to cede its ticket to its son, Olusola Oke. Pundits say Oke’s loss of the ticket may affect APC in the zone during the general election, considering the fact that the former PDP National Legal Adviser remains APC’s strongest mobiliser in the senatorial district.

“Unless they find a way of pacifying Oke and ensuring that he still go all out to work for the party during the general election, I don’t see how APC will perform well here come November. Our people were so optimistic of the ticket, especially with Oke’s defection to the APC from the PDP where Mimiko had stunted his political growth for years,” a chieftain of the party told The Nation.

Speaking through his Director-General of his campaign, Bola Fisayo, shortly after the election, Oke said the election was not a true reflection of the delegates that participated in the primary last Saturday. His supporters, especially from the southern senatorial district, allege that the party deliberately prevented their son from emerging as the candidate.

They alleged further that about 110 names belonging to Oke’s camp were removed from both Ondo East and West Local Governments while their names were replaced with non-executive members of the party. “The election did not represent the true position of the delegates, the accreditation gave room for manipulation and the whole process was laced with fraud and the result released did  not represent the true reflection of the delegates as non-delegates were allowed to participate in the election”

Oke was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2012 governorship election. He specifically alleged that some names of the delegates were removed from the delegates’ list while non-delegates were allegedly allowed to vote. He explained that the list of delegates handed over to the aspirants at a meeting with the Presidency was different from the list of delegates brought by the Chairman of the Election Committee, who is also the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar.

APC vs PDP

Although the state today is a stronghold of the ruling PDP under Mmiko who has been in charge for almost eight years, there is no doubting the fact that the opposition APC has over the years, endeared itself to the people o0f the state. Consequently, pundits and politicians alike agree that the election will be a tough one between the two leading parties.

While Mimiko and his party are of the opinion that his performance in office will swing the votes in favor of their candidate, the opposition insist the current administration has not done much for the people to warrant re-election of the PDP for another four year term. To many political observers, the claims of the two camps are highly debatable.

According to Mimiko himself,  “Given the vicissitude of fortunes that Ondo State has witnessed in its 40-year existence so far, I believe, like many indigenes of the state, that we have done well”. We have not only bench marked programmes and projects for other states in the health sector, urban renewal, education, wealth creation and other sectors, we have succeeded in making Ondo State an unfolding destination of choice for entertainment and medical tourism,” he said.

“In this era of serious economy crisis, the governor just inaugurated today a 27-kilometre road in Ajagba in the Irele Local Government Area. In the next two weeks, the governor will also inaugurate a reconstructed school and a mega school in that area. Again, he will inaugurate a township road in Ore. And Akeredolu is from Owo and he cannot deny that there is a dual carriage road constructed by Mimiko’s government in his town” he said.

“If the current PDP government in Ondo state has been able to do this much and take the state to enviable height, our people should expect more and more developmental projects across the state when the PDP government assume power in 2017. We in Ondo PDP can vouch that our people are enlightened enough not to fall victims for the tricks of the APC that has no structure and root in the state. The party does not have the interest of the masses at heart,” the PDP said.

But Victor Adekanye Olabimtan, a former Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, disagrees with the Governor’s claims. Instead, he said the last seven years under Mimiko have been a harrowing experience for the people of the state, adding that the state has been impoverished by Mimiko and now worse off than Mimiko met it in 2009.

“Well, this is my personal view, and I also think it is the view of the greater majority of the people of Ondo state. The incumbent came into power with much popularity. The people of Ondo State believed their messiah who will liberate them from whatever they think was their problem because the then government of now late Agagu was providing good governance. Let me say expressly that the past seven years have been harrowing for the good people of Ondo State. I think the people of the state now know better that they have either by error of commission or omission allowed the mistake of 2007 to destroy Ondo State”.

“The Ondo State of today is far worse than the Ondo State we had before the February 2009. It is a state that is wallowing in abject poverty. This government inherited a buoyant economy but today, the economy of the state is hemorrhaging and bleeding satanically. Mimiko inherited a civil service that is second to none. He inherited a teaching service that had successfully ended the age-long dearth of teachers in Ondo State. He inherited an Ondo State where most of the roads are in a good condition”.

“Iroko, as Mimiko is fondly called inherited an Ondo State where water scarcity has been religiously fought to standstill. However, seven years after, we have an Ondo State that is deeply indebted. We now have an Ondo state that is the worst hit among the 36 states as far as the federation is concerned. We now have an Ondo State where no single teacher has been employed in the last seven years. The last time we employed teachers in Ondo State was in 2008/2009”.

“As I am talking to you, many teachers have retired. Many have died in service. Many have resigned and till date, they have not been replaced. Forget the propaganda of mega school that you read online, please pay a visit to our schools, you will be marveled by the condition under which the leaders of tomorrow are receiving lectures. The entire AUD Primary School at Itaogbolu has just four teachers. Just of recent, because of acute shortage of teachers in primary schools, what Mimiko did was to draft those who have NCE in local government to teaching. Imagine sending someone who has not taught for the past twenty years to classroom to teach, “he said.

The candidates

With the decision of INEC to recognize Jegede and Akeredolu as candidates in spite of happenings in their various parties following the primary elections that produced them both, the stage in Ondo state is set for a political battle between two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) come November 26.

Akeredolu, a former President of the NBA would be ump in political arms and wits against Jegede, who until a few months ago, was Governor Mimiko’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. Similarly, while the PDP candidate became the state’s Attorney-General in 2009, Akeredolu held the same office between 1997-1999.

The November election will be Jegede’s first shot at the governorshipm of his home state but for Akeredolu, it will be a second attempt as he was the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2012. He contested against, and lost to the incumbent, Segun Mimiko, at the time in a highly competitive election.

Many pundits say the fact that Akeredolu contested the 2012 election is a big plus for him as he is better known that the new entrant, Jegede. It is also believed that Akeredolu’s emergence as his party’s candidate for a second time against many odds, is a sign that he has come to stay as one of the big political figures of the state.

“He (Akeredolu) is not in the same league with the starter being presented by the PDP. Akeredolu is known, tested and trusted by the good people of Ondo state. He contested agains t Mimiko and we all know how he was stopped by the ruling party. The people are glad APC gave him another chance and you will attest to this during the election,” Pius Agboriren, a chieftain of the party in Irele, said.

But a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, Larry Ogunmusire, has said that the party would win the November 26 governorship election. Ogunmusire, who is the Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government Area, said the PDP, which is the most popular and masses-oriented party in the state, made the best choice by fielding Jegede.

He added that the emergence of former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state as PDP’s governorship candidate for the election was a testimony that the party would win. He said Jegede would defeat any candidate presented by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), in the November election.

“The current administration has performed beyond expectation with masses-oriented programmes, which will pave the way for the party’s victory at the forthcoming governorship election. We also have the best candidate in person of Jegede, who has worked for the state and indeed accepted by the masses; so, I am bold to tell you that continuity is the game,” Ogunmusire said.

The two candidates may also be judge by the electorate on the strength of what they have in stock for the people of the state. Both have given reasons why they feel the state needs their services as governor after Mimiko’s term in office. While Jegede has left no one in doubt that he intends to build on the legacies of his predecessor, Akeredolu insists the state needs a fresh start.

“Mimiko as far as I am concerned has done so well. Nobody can beat his record in the health sector, not in this country. So if anybody says Mimiko has not performed, take health sector and tell me any state in the 36 states which has done half of what Mimiko has done and I say so with all pride.

I say it with all sense of humility that these indeed are challenging times and they need some extraordinary measures. Somebody who is a little bit bold and might look gentle or mere in his face but he does not think that political considerations should be for everything. We must learn to live and get things done the proper way so that we can get advantage in future,’ Jegede said.

On his part, Akeredolu said, “Mimiko’s time has come and gone. There is nothing like Mimiko again in Ondo State. That is why he was bruised and battered in the last presidential election.It is necessary to have a change in the leadership of Ondo State. Governance in the state has in the last seven years, which will now culminate into eight years before the election, been a waste of resources and one is convinced that the time has come for us to make meaningful impacts in the lives of our people and for them to at least have the impact of meaningful governance. To give the people the benefit of good governance so that they can derive the most which you can get from any government.