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  • Ondo APC primary: Membership revalidated list causes uproar

    Ondo APC primary: Membership revalidated list causes uproar

    A total of 172,025 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State are to participate in the direct primary election to pick the party’s candidate for the Novmember governorship election.

    This was contained in the list of revalidated members of the party conducted by national leadership of the party.

    The revalidated list has, however, caused upset within the ranks of the party as some wards were discovered not to have any registered member of the party.

    What further caused outcry were the huge registered members from some local government areas in the state.

    From the figures released, it showed that the party raked in  N412, 600, 000 from dues paid by members.

    Besides, some wards in Akoko Northeast, Odigbo, Ese-Odo and Okitipupa have no registered members of the party.

    The wards are Arogbo 1, 11 and 111 in Ese-Odo, Ikado II in Akoko Northeast, Ajue in Odigbo and Ayeka Igbidigbo in Okitipupa.

    In Ore 11 ward, the Ondo APC has only two registered members.

    Read Also: Ondo APC primary: Ibrahim, Akinterinwa, Oke, four others raise alarm over party’s membership revalidation

    Ilaje local government, where Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa hails from, has 27,015 APC members while Akure South, the state capital has 8,441 revalidated members.

    Ondo West has 22,122 members while Ese-Odo has 1084 revalidated members.

    The lawmaker representing Odigbo Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Ifabiyi Samuel Olatunji, said he was shocked to see only two revalidated members from his ward.

    According to him: “It is a fraud of the highest order. A situation in my ward, only two people registered and two people  were revalidate. It is a lie from the pit of hell. We have 11 wards and we have registered members of the party. We have over 1000 registered APC members in my ward. To my surprise somebody brought only two registered members. This is a real shamble. We are building on zero level and fraud. Membership register is key to this election and situation where the membership register is faulty, the whole system is faulty.”

    A former Commissioner for Water Resources, Olotu Fatai, who hails from Akoko Norh East said the membership revalidation was deregistration of members in disguise.

    “It is laughable. In my local government, the figure release is 6000 whereas we have APC registered members of over 40,000. Is membership revalidation equal to deregistration of members of the party. The Committee came to deregister members of the party.  I cannot fathom any reason for doing this. You have local government on water have over 20,000. Those of us on land given 6000. The exercise was shrouded in secrecy. We didn’t know when then came and the parameter used for the exercise. It seems the party has compromise the whole exercise and there is no ay you can get credible results from the figures released.”

    Some aspirants on Wednesday kicked against the use of the revalidated list of members.

    They demanded that the party make available to them the membership register already certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the only lawful register to be used by the party for the conduct of the primary election.

  • Ondo APC primary: Leaders caution party against violating guidelines

    Ondo APC primary: Leaders caution party against violating guidelines

    Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo state have cautioned the national leadership of the party against violating the party’s guidelines ahead of the primary scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 20, in 203 wards.

    The leaders said the APC would have itself to blame “if the hawks at work are allowed to have their way.”

    Speaking under the auspices of Ondo Vanguard for Good Governance, the leaders stated that the validation of registered members was not conducted the way it should be done and that the delegation election billed for today (Monday) was not held.

    They alleged that they uncovered plans by some party officials not to follow due process laid down in the APC primary election guideline as released by the national body of the party.

    The coordinator of the group, Evangelist Tade Ojo, said it was worrisome that the delegate congress failed to hold at the 203 designated centres for the exercise.

    Read Also: Ondo APC primary: Igbotako APC endorses Senator Ibrahim

    He said: “Having realised that the governor is not popular among the APC members in Ondo state, these agents of destabilisation have resolved to simply concort the results of the primary election, and award arbitrary figure to the governor as the winner of the primary election.

    “Today, we have come to tell the entire people of Ondo state, the national leadership of the APC, and all Nigerians that all the processes that ought to lead to a free, fair, and credible primary election in Ondo State have been violated by the party officials sent by APC to Ondo state.”

    But director of information, Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Campaign Organisation (LACO) Kayode Fasua, said the primary election remained an internal affair of the APC adding that the party leadership was independent of government.

    “Before the party, all aspirants, including the governor, are equal in treatment; regarding campaigns and the internal electoral process.

    “Therefore, Governor Aiyedatiwa or his supporters are far removed from this lie of printing fake membership cards, as alleged by jittery aspirants hiding behind fingers.

    “They should go drink some water and sleep for their enviously frayed nerves. Hardworking Governor Aiyedatiwa has overtaken them.”

  • Ondo APC Guber Ticket: Many called, but few in reckoning

    Ondo APC Guber Ticket: Many called, but few in reckoning

    No fewer than 16 governorship aspirants are competing for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in Ondo State. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the issues that will shape the direct primary and the chances of the contenders at the shadow poll.

    The die is cast in the Ondo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as 16 party chieftains compete for the governorship ticket ahead of the September poll.

    Eyes are on the chapter as it prepares for the direct primary across the 18 local governments. It is the first time in the history of presidential democracy that all registered party members across the wards and local governments will elect the flagbearer of a progressive party in the Sunshine State.

    It is always relatively easier to predict electoral success and failure in in-house contests in Ondo. But, this is a different time. Political watchers are of the view that the outcome of the pre-election primary may be full of surprises. There will be no walk-over.

    In the post-Akeredolu era, the permutations have changed. Until December last year when he passed on after a protracted illness, the attention was on the former party leader, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, and his succession plan, which he never unfolded. That is why it is difficult for any aspirant to realistically convince party members and supporters that he was anointed or endorsed as the preferred candidate by the departed leader.

    As party faithful prepare for the shadow poll, Ondo APC is like a sheep without a shepherd. Various centres of influence are being constructed and there appears to be no rallying point. There is no party elder of note who can also act as a gerontocratic monitor and moral voice.

    Many close associates of the late governor are not on the same page. They are serving new masters, as it were, and working at cross purpose.

     While Akeredolu was alive, the only dominant and formidable structure was the ‘Aketi Team.’ As governorship contenders have returned to the drawing board, preparatory to the primary, the chapter is momentarily polarised by the scramble for the ticket.

    The Aketi camp is finding it difficult to adopt a consensus candidate within the group. The party chairman, Ade Adetimehin, an engineer, is said to be rooting for Olusola Oke. Adetimehin is from Idanre in the Central District.

    According to party sources, he is interested in the deputy governorship ticket. Also, the former minister, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who is from Iju/Ita-Ogbolu axis of Akure in the Central District, is the campaign manager for the ‘Aseyori Team’ of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

    The disarray portends a big lesson for men of high political calibre, which is the import of grooming successors who will build on legacies so that the political structure built with hard labour, sweat,a  and resources would not flounder after the demise of the party leader or godfather.

    A bitter contest is imminent unless the party leadership rises to the occasion. The only antidote is a free, fair, and credible shadow poll that will not lead to post-primary crisis capable of affecting the chances of the party during the governorship election.

    The desperation and division in the Ondo APC are evident in the media war, propaganda, prevarications, and scheming involving the antagonistic camps and their supporters. For example, allegations of certificate fraud against some aspirants fill the air. Rival camps deride some contenders as pretenders who see their declaration of intention as a tool for bargaining for appointments and relevance in the future.

    An aspirant, Dr. Paul Akintelure, died, presumably of illness, after raising the alarm that his life was being threatened.

    Anxiety has seized the chapter. The proposed direct primary is a crucial test for Ondo APC, which cannot boast of any background experience. The major advantage is that the option may ensure popular intra-party participation, with party members taking ownership of the internal political process.

    Indeed, the hope of potential elected delegates and their statutory counterparts, who had looked forward to a trading season whereby aspirants would be eager to mobilise them through a combination of persuasion and financial inducement was dashed.

    However, while the tyranny and dictatorship of the delegate system is abrogated, and likely official threats and coercion are reduced, analysts have pointed out that a successful exercise would still depend on the deployment of skill, proper coordination and supervision, and a detailed party register.

    The Presidency, no doubt, is maintaining a keen interest in Ondo. But, up to now, there is no sign that President Bola Tinubu is backing any aspirant, unlike before.

    According to observers, there is no dull moment in Ondo APC. But, not all the aspirants are creative. The recurring lyrics in the emotive manifestos of many of them is that they intend to build on the legacy of Akeredolu.

    Remarkably, nearly all the aspirants are from the South District. This is an attestation to zoning, which Akeredolu stood for. Even the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has caught the bug of zoning, with former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi dominating the scene, in the absence of the veteran contender and serial loser, Akure-born Eyitayo Jegede, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    Sources said in PDP, zoning has become a tool for blackmailing potential aspirants outside the South.

    The contenders:

    The big four are, according to party insiders, are Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor and party leader; Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, eminent lawyer, astute businessman and senator representing Ondo South; Wale Akinterinwa, longest serving Finance Commissioner in the state and Olusola Oke, legal luminary.

    Also in the race are Morayo Lebi,a lawyer and businessman, Ife Oyedele, an engineer, Mayowa Akinfolarin, a former federal legislator, Gbenga Edema, former representative of Ondo State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), General Olamide Ohunyeye (rtd); Ayo Oritedi, Dr. Soji Ehinlanwo, Jimi Odimayo, Dr. Adedayo Faduyile, and Light Ariyomo, who is not from the South.

    Few weeks ago, few aspirants stepped down. It is not unlikely that more contenders who are mere pretenders in the race will also step down for any of the big four.

    Aiyedatiwa:

    Aiyedatiwa wields the power of incumbency. In the past, he vied for the House of Representatives and Senate. Success eluded him. Then, an apple of Akeredolu’s eyes, he became the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) representative from Ondo, and much later, deputy governor.

    Today, Aiyedatiwa is the greatest beneficiary of the vacuum in the state. His detractors derisively describe this period as an interregnum. Indeed, the governor has evoked jealousy for crossing the hurdles of impeachment threat and transitioning from the number two position to the front seat.

    Immediately after he assumed the reins, Aiyedatiwa showed that he had not only come to office, but he was in power. He also started using the privilege of a state party leader, summoning stakeholders’ meetings from wards and local governments, and dangling carrots. Ward and local government leaders of the party sang a new song, proclaiming him as a leader who can empower. They smiled home with an assurance of unprecedented largesse.

    Before Akeredolu passed on, the crisis had engulfed the party. As a party in the dispute, Aiyedatiwa could not be the reconciliator. But, he started to consolidate his hold on power, dissolving the State Executive Council and making some important appointments-Olayide Adelami from Owo, Akeredolu’s hometown, as deputy governor;  Tayo Oluwatuyi as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Mr. Abayomi Olasanya as Chief of Protocol. He also reappointed four sacked commissioners-Akinwumi Sowore; Mrs. Omowumi Isaac;  Razaq Obe; Mr Emmanuel Igbasan and Oseni Oyeniyi.

    Aiyedatiwa appointed Olukayode Ajulo, a lawyer as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; former state lawmaker Olugbenga Omole as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy; Mrs. Olamide Falana as Special Adviser on Gender Affairs and Alabi Johnson as Special Adviser on Energy.

    The governor, who was in want to heavyweight supporters, saw one in former Governor Olusegun Mimiko. Instructively, some of his appointees have links with Mimiko.

    While the first set of appointments generated furore, Aiyedatiwa gauged the party mood while making the second set of appointments.

    However, while many people can gravitate towards a ‘governor-aspirant,’ Ondo State is not where any incumbent governor can really threaten his rivals ahead of the primary.

    As party leader, Aiyedatiwa now has the backing of many party elders and founding members, local government executives of the party, his aides in the State Executive Council, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and some state lawmakers. According to analysts, his campaign is not as rigorous as expected. But, a source said his underground moves could be more effective.  The governor is banking on incumbency and the advantages it confers.

    Ayedatiwa can also largely depend on party structures with minimal hitches. He has a deep purse as governor and the role of money in any electoral exercise cannot be ignored. Also, he has access to a pool of information that can guide cardinal decisions and change of strategy ahead of the primary. He can motivate through bargaining.

    However, those against are ready to give him a tough time at the primary. A major drawback is that some loyalists of Aketi within and outside the party are seriously opposed to him. They believe it will be a herculean task for him to unite the party if he wins.

    Akinterinwa:

    Akinterinwa is popular. Many see him as a formidable challenger. The former commissioner hails from Ile-Oluji in Oke-igbo/Ile Oluji Local Government Area. He was a casualty of the change of guard when Akeredolu died. He was said to be attending the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee in Abuja when Aiyedatiwa dissolved the State Executive Council. But, if the council was not even dissolved at that time, the finance commissioner was already planning to resign to contest for governor.

     Akinterinwa, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), is an experienced technocrat and politician. He once vied for the House of Representatives, but he could not make it.

    He rose from Lagos, where he had served in the Tinubu administration as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA), before relocating home. Later, he was appointed finance commissioner by Mimiko. After a year, he called it quits with the State Executive Council.

    When Akeredolu succeeded Mimiko, Akinterinwa returned to the same portfolio. He became the administrator of the Ondo economy. The state recorded an improved internally generated revenue. Also, he ensured prudent allocation, judicious spending and management of resources.

    Read Also: Ondo APC primary and Aiyedatiwa’s battles

    As a deep gulf was said to have developed between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa, attention tended to shift to him in the uncleared succession calculations.

    Akinterinwa said Akeredolu, after he returned from his medical trip to Germany last year, anointed him as his successor, adding: “During the discussion in his office, he told me that he would want me to take over from him. And he prayed for me. I am also aware that he told certain people about that desire. The conversation happened immediately after he came back from Germany.”

    Both Aiyedatiwa and Akinterinwa are members of the Aketi Group which has been split by their aspirations. A man of honour and integrity, the former commissioner is banking on those loyal to Akeredolu.

    Ibrahim:

    Ibrahim is a formidable contender, who is forging ahead with his ambition with resolve, focus, clarity, and optimism. He is bracing up for a unique popularity test, taking his message of renewed hope to the nooks and crannies of the state.

     Ibrahim, who contested for governor on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), has built structures. He has visited the 18 local governments. His campaign train is electrifying, conveying the image of a philanthropist ready to give succour to the poor. His political agenda is around key pillars of education, health, job creation, and infrastructure.

    At 57, he holds nine degrees from highly reputable institutions, including Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife (LLB, MPA), the University of Oxford, and Harvard (LLM/IT). He holds a Ph.D. in Business from Cambridge University (DBA).

    His academic achievements are complemented by his feats in the world of business. The scope encompasses banking, insurance, oil and gas, real estate, hospitality, and aviation, showcased by ventures like Global Fleet Group and NICON Luxury Hotel.

    Some analysts have described Ibrahim as well-organised and well-prepared. His extensive networks and methodical campaign strategies are novel.

    Ibrahim has the registers of members in all the wards and he has a fairly accurate idea of those supporting him. He is miles ahead of many aspirants in terms of structure, organisation and preparation. In a free and fair contest, many observers are of the view that the senator seems poised for victory.

    Apart from an elaborate structure, two other things are going for him. One, he has the resources for the contest; an expensive one for that matter. Many candidates may not have representatives at the point of voting on April 20 due to a lack of funds for  mobilisation. 

    Two, Ibrahim enjoys the backing of many heavyweights like Tayo Alasoadura, a veteran and respected leader in Akure North and South; Senator Yele Omgunwa, former Secretary to Government Princess Oladunni Odu, who stepped down for him,  former Speaker of the House of Assembly and a sizable number of Aketi supporters who see him as one capable of stopping Aiyedatiwa.

    Oke:

    Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and veteran politician is a former member of the House of Representatives and one-time National Legal Adviser of the PDP.

    In 2000, he was appointed into the pioneer board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Later, he was appointed  as the Executive Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) in 2004.

    In 2005, he was nominated into the  National Political Reform Conference in Abuja, and in 2007, he served as a member of the Presidential Technical Committee on Niger Delta.

    Eight years ago, Oke was a governorship candidate. No doubt, he is very popular in Ilaje and he looks unstoppable in the local government. He is a veteran of many gubernatorial contests, full of resilience and optimism.

  • Ondo APC and direct primary

    Ondo APC and direct primary

    A Primary, an intra-party shadow poll, is not less important than the general election involving the generality of people who are not members of political parties.

    A general election gives the people an opportunity to make a choice and change. However, voters’ choices are narrowed down and limited to the candidates. How the flag bearers in a party emerge underscores the primacy of internal democracy in the party system.

    In Ondo State, the coast is clear for the adoption of the direct primary for the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate. The national leadership may have settled for the option, which may have been dictated by the mood of the state chapter, for two reasons.

    The first is that majority of the aspirants see it as a model that may assist them to win the ticket. The second reason is that top contenders may feel that it is the best option, in their calculation, that can make them to resist fraud and still turn the table against their rivals.

    The constitution of the ruling party has provisions for not only direct but also the indirect primary. The consensus option, which is the permanent preference of old political war horses of the First and the Second republics, is becoming old-fashioned or outdated. Although these old and experienced politicians are still largely perceived as the esteemed moral voice; they are now in clear minority.

    When consensus was in the vogue, ideological parties set the criteria for the choice of their standard bearers. The conditions for eligibility of candidates included agood conduct, sound education, previous working experience, contributions to the community and the party, seniority, and loyalty to the platform.

    That was in the days of strict party discipline and supremacy. The economic status of contenders was secondary. Party members deferred to the elders; the youths, who were being groomed for future leadership, learnt the ropes within the party’s organisational structure.

    However, the consensus option gradually became outdated because of allegations of imposition. Although it is democratic, the mode could not meet the expectations of moneybags who promoted the culture of monetisation of politics as from the Third Republic and treated the method as archaic.

    Direct and indirect methods have their merits and demerits. How the outcomes of direct or indirect primary are managed has implications for the chapter, ahead of the governorship poll.

    The indirect or delegates’ system is not less democratic. It underscores the value of representativeness. The delegates are selected at the party’s congresses. The congresses have tap roots at the wards and local governments. But as experience has shown, the system became more expensive due to delegate targeting and financial inducement by the highest bidder.

    A few days to the governorship primaries in some states, moneybags usually camp delegates whom they woo with money and juicy promises in hotels where they temporarily live like kings.

    When delegates are bribed or financially mobilised by an aspirant, they are obliged to vote for him at the shadow poll. He who pays the piper calls the tune. The implication is that financially weak candidates are edged out, even if they are more capable and fit for the exalted office.

    Read Also: Ondo APC aspirants jostle for Tinubu’s support

    For successful candidates, electioneering is an economic investment and returns must be garnered after victory. Since the ticket is largely purchased, the standard bearer may only have little respect for the delegates he has bought.

    While the delegate system worked in the Second Republic without financial inducement, the Third Republic was a different ball game. Indeed, the Fourth Republic has built on the legacy of the ill-fated Third Dispensation.

    In this dispensation, there are statutory delegates who are not elected at the congress. They are elected and appointed functionaries and aides of governors, party leaders, members of Board of Trustees(BoT) and former office holders. Their strength lies in their bloc votes.

    The adoption of the direct primary often usually provokes special enthusiasm and interest. The direct system implies that party members have withdrawn the mandate previously given to delegates to choose on their behalf. The college of primary electors is dismantled. All party members, rich or poor, would be involved in the process. The turnout is usually huge. The horizon of intra-party participation is broadened. Although there may be residual post-primary hues and cries, they may not culminate in litigation.

    The day of the primary election is a day of inescapable judgment for an unpopular aspirant. Even the governor who is seeking the ticket would be on the weighing scale, despite his power of incumbency.

    If a governor alienates himself from the party structure, sidelines party chieftains, oppresses perceived opponents, and behaves like a lord of the manor, he may lose the renewal of his intra-party mandate as a candidate. That has been demonstrated in Lagos State.

    Parallel primaries instigated by factions under the delegate system may not be possible under the direct system.

    The direct primary is another form of effective mobilisation. Party members perceive the primary as the first leg of the general election. Since a direct primary may provide a level-playing field for aspirants, the system fosters equity, fairness, and justice.

    More importantly, the option will reduce the influence of money on the process, eliminate cash and carry syndrome, and prevent the penchant for “kidnapping” delegates by the highest bidder.

    Generally, the direct primary is less expensive to organise and manage. But the direct primary may be impossible in a period of national emergency, like COVID-19. It is not protocol-friendly. Social distancing may be difficult.

    But anytime the direct mode is adopted, the process will be ward-based and crowd control will not be a Herculean task.

    A party’s register may be problematic. But it could be taken care of by a party identification mechanism at the grassroots. Party members who attend meetings regularly know one another.

    The direct system is the legacy of the American progressive democratic model whereby registered party members choose party candidates through a secret ballot, like a general election. Since it is perceived to be more transparent, the corruption, which often mars the delegate system, is reduced. There will be no room for ‘delegate camping.’ There is the likelihood of increased participation and aspirants may develop confidence in the wider elective process.

    The direct primary offers an opportunity for the candidate to test his popularity, ahead of the main poll. It gives party members an equal chance of electing their candidates.

    However, the crowd is huge and management of the crowd will require skill and strategy. Emphasis may now be placed on quantity instead of quality of participation. Many voters may not be informed and, therefore, lack the competence to make informed choices. Therefore, the “mass voters” need education and enlightenment. Since a lot of mobilisation has to be done, it may be too taxing for aspirants who lack the resources for intra-party campaigns and logistics. The voting hour may be elongated, thereby creating stress for the Direct Primary Committee.

    As the world waits to see how the APC shadow poll will go – ahead of the November 16 election – there would be anxiety among the contenders. But as this election method is seen as the most transparent and the least dramatic, it is hoped that the outcome would be accepted to all the contenders.

    Despite being the ruling party at the state and the national levels, APC is not immune to intra-party squabbles. What the leadership of the party should commence immediately is the harmonisation of the various interests to ensure that nobody rocks the boat after the shadow poll. Keeping the house united after the primary is more important than the result of the primary itself. Elections come and go, but the development and peace of a state should be permanent. It should not be sacrificed on the slaughter slab of a political ambition.

    Thus, there should be an undertaking among the contenders that they will abide by the result of the primary and work with the winner to ensure that APC retains Ondo State.

  • Aiyedatiwa, Jimoh, Akinterinwa, Kekemeke, others submit forms

    Aiyedatiwa, Jimoh, Akinterinwa, Kekemeke, others submit forms

    The battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Ondo State moved a notch higher yesterday.

    Seven aspirants including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and former Finance Commissioner Wale Akinterinwa submitted their nomination forms at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

    Others are: APC National Vice Chairman Isaacs Kekemeke, Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye, Mr Waheed-Adekojo Funmilayo and Dr. Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo.

    The primary is slated for April 20.

    Aiyedatiwa told reporters that if picked and re-elected, he would build on his efforts. 

    Jimoh Ibrahim rolled out his plans for the economic revival of the state.

    Ayiedatiwa, who was accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Assembly Olamide Oladiji, some lawmakers and party officials expressed confidence in picking the party’s ticket, saying none of other aspirants is a threat to his aspirations.

    Aiyedatiwa noted that within the short period as governor of the state, he had been able to pay some salaries, pension and other arrears owed since 2014.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Jail term, fine, other consequences for mutilation, abuse of naira notes

    Senator Ibrahim promised to turn the state into Dubai in Nigeria if voted.

    The frontline governorship aspirant who described himself as the best in the race, promised fortify Amotekun and using electronic apps to secure the state.

    “I stood election about one and a half years ago, and now I am in the Senate. I am the first APC senator from the south since APC was formed they have not been able to win the election in Ondo.

    “I am the best of all the aspirants. I can assure you that we are going to win the next election, we have a movement that was set up, and we have collected data of over 400,000. I visited over 120 wards completed last week.

    “My focus when I become governor is to ensure that one, the Bitumen  $47 billion seated in Agbabu is extracted.

    I brought the current Bitumen bill before the national assembly and we are now on the third reading of that bill so that we can have a law backing Bitumen.”

    On whether the governor has been endorsed, Senator Ibrahim said: “Politics is about democracy and democracy is about numbers.

    “Was Asiwaju endorsed during the APC presidential primary? But at the end of the day, he won the election with no endorsement from anybody, when you believe your turn is your turn. It is my turn.

    On security, Ibrahim said: “I will fortify Amotekun and I will use the app to dislodge insecurity. Some apps can detect insecurity and crimes, this is what I will employ. Modern security requires this artificial intelligence to combat insecurity.

    “Today security is about having the right app to manage the situation, when I become the governor I will use the military jets to fly drones around for intense security”

    Akinterinwa also promised to change the civil service status of the state and transform it into a self-sufficient state without depending on the central government.

    The former banker who was accompanied by his wife, Oluremi unveiled his plans to cash on the long coastal line to turn around the economic fortunes of the state.

    According to him, the focus will be on the marine economy, agriculture and Tourism.

    Akinterinwa who served under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said attention will be given to education to ensure human development of the state adding that agriculture will be given attention with a focus on making the state feed the entire South West region.

  • Ondo 2024: Sports group, ex-commissioner organise rally to support Aiyedatiwa

    Ondo 2024: Sports group, ex-commissioner organise rally to support Aiyedatiwa

    An Ondo State based Sports Group, People United By Sports (PUBS), on Saturday staged a rally in support of Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s ambition in the April governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The rally was supported by the immediate past Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development in Ondo State, Bamidele Ologunloluwa, among others.

    The walk rally which started at Alagbaka area, terminated at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure, with different sportsmen participating.

    The President of PUBS, Seun Betiku, while speaking with newsmen, said that the essence of the rally was to show support and solidarity for Aiyedatiwa.

    Betiku explained that he has been supporting sports and promised to do more if given the chance.

    “The essence of this walk is to show our support and solidarity for the governor. We are supporting him because he has performed.

    “He was with us as the interim management committee chairman when we were about to go to relegation, we know what he did, he pulled us out of that relegation process. We appreciate what he did and we know he will do more if given the chance.

    Read Also: Ondo guber: APC chief assures Aiyedatiwa of bloc vote in Akure

    “We believe that in every family, there is a sport man or a sport woman; the message of knowing that Aiyedatiwa can do it for us will go a long way in sensitizing the people on what Aiyedatiwa can do for the society,” he said.

    Also speaking, former Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Bamidele Ologunloluwa said Aiyedatiwa had paid his dues for sportsmen and women to show the level of support and they wanted him to continue.

    Ologunloluwa said Aiyedatiwa, while he was the deputy governor and acting governor was always present at any sports festival and expressly approving budgets for athletes to represent the state.

    “This shows that we are in full support of this man and that we want continuity for the next four years and we are saying it is not out of place to allow the man to continue.

    “Let everybody calm down, for the next four years, they should let Aiyedatiwa continue,” he said.

    Also speaking, a trustee of PUBS, who is also the immediate past Chairman of House Committee of Finance and Appropriations at the Ondo State House of Assembly, Sunday Olajide, described Aiyedatiwa as the “best man for the job.”

    “The passion he has can be felt in the last few months. He is a man with large heart, a team player and a complete gentleman who can do the work. He is doing everything possible to make sure that the state is moving forward.

    “If it’s someone else, rather than bringing everyone together, he would have made it a payback time for those that were against him during his trenches, but today I can tell you that he has brought everybody together and all that we can see is progress and development,” he said.

    Olajide advised the leaders of the party to encourage their members to give Aiyedatiwa a chance.

    “I’m sure the party leaders have their ears on the ground and know what is happening in Ondo State, they know that the man that is popular is the current governor and I’m sure they will give him the support,” he said.

    Also at the rally was Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Matters, Olamide Falana, who urged all to support Aiyedatiwa to get the party ticket.

    (NAN)

  • APC takes lead in Ondo bye-election

    APC takes lead in Ondo bye-election

    Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State,

    Ifeoluwa Ehindero, has taken the lead in Saturday’s bye-election conducted in Akoko NorthEast/NorthWest Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

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    In the result declared from the polling units and ward collation centre, Ehindero has scored 16, 439 votes in Akoko North East while his main rival in the Peoples Democratic Party, Olalekan Bada, had garnered 7,934 votes.

    Eight political parties participated in the election.

    Security was tight in the over 300 polling units where the election was conducted.

    There was large turn-out of voters in some areas like Ikare, Okea-Agbe, Oyin and Arigidi.

  • Ondo APC seeks unity ahead governorship poll

    Ondo APC seeks unity ahead governorship poll

    All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has urged members to collapse personal interests in the bigger party considerations, ahead of the governorship election this year.

    It said the surest way to make the party appealing to the electorate and gladiators from other parties was for the members to ensure unity and promote discipline.

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    State Chairman of APC, Ade Adetimehin, an engineer; in his New Year message, expressed regrets about the death of former governor and leader of the state chapter, Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, but said he was happy that there was no vacuum.

    Adetimehin urged Ondo APC leaders to consider unity of purpose and selflessness as panacea for party development.

    He said the party would prove its popularity during the forthcoming governorship election by winning.

    “Today, we have a new leader of the party. We must unite and support him to succeed,” he said, warning that the party should avoid anything capable of jeopardising its chances of winning and retaining the state for APC later in the year.