Finally, the political juggernaut and grandmaster of Ondo politics, Chief Alexander Olusola Oke, is poised to unveil his political agenda to develop Ondo State today, Monday....CONTINUE READING
As one of the leading All Progressive Congress, APC, aspirants for the April 24 gubernatorial primaries, Oke said it took him some time to declare his intentions as he has to x-ray most of the political, economic and educational issues that have affected the exponential growth of Ondo State and has found out that the problems are surmountable adding that he would use them as stepping stones to industrialize the state.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also said that he had to delay his expression of interest in the race so as to honour, pay tribute and mourn the demise of the former governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
“Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was not only a friend or professional colleague but we had strong relationship and he was my governor,” Oke said while speaking with some journalists in Akure.
“Honestly, I am seriously hit and devastated by Aketi’s untimely death. Well, my coming out late is not too much a sacrifice for a fearless governor and warrior who encapsulated the yearnings and aspirations of his people.
No fewer than 25 persons have shown interest in contesting in the April gubernatorial primaries of the APOC in Ondo State even as the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is set to officially join the race on Tuesday.
Sources at the APC secretariat in Akure said a good number of aspirants have written to the chairperson, Ade Adetimehin, expressing their intent to contest.
Those aspiring include former former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin; former member who represented the State on the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Olugbenga Edema; retired Director of Finance at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Olumide Ohunyeye, and business mogul and incumbent Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim.
Others include former Commissioner for the Environment in the state, Sola Ebisemi; two-time governorship candidate in the state (2012 and 2016), Olusola Oke; the Executive Director (Engineering and Technical Services) at Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, Ifeoluwa Oyedele; APC National Vice Chair (South-west), Isaac Kekemeke; former President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Prof Adedayo Faduyile; Paul Akintelure; Olusola Iji; Jimi Odimayo; Matthew Oyerinmade; Funmilayo Adekojo, and former Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa.
Information at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja is rife that there are palpable fears among the aspirants that the choice of President Bola Tinubu, who is believed to have a vested interest in who becomes the next governor, could be the deciding factor.
The recent declaration by the national secretariat that there would be no automatic ticket for the incumbent governor has also piled pressure on Aiyedatiwa, who is now seeking endorsement from the public.
“The party is looking for those who are loyal and who are core Progressives, and not just one with a big name,” a party source said.
Meanwhile, Chief Olusola Oke will on Tuesday begin a ward-to-ward visitation and conversation to sensitize the party electorate. He, and his entourage, will visit Erije Ward , Ayeka/Igbodigo ward, Okitipupa ward, Ode-Aye wardson Tuesday.
DAY 2, Friday, March 15 will take him to Igbotako wards, Iju-Odo/Erekiti, Ilutitun wards, Ikoya/Oloto/Igbisin wards.
Reacting to the political wave in the state, a stalwart of the APC and Chairman of socio-cultural group, Ikale Heritage Development Association, Otunba Sola Olatunji said Oke’s entrance into the race will sure send cold down the spines of some of the aspirants.
Olatunji said: “Now that the burial the late governor is over, the big masquerade has finally come out, and I can say for certainty that his entrant into the governorship race must have sent jitters into the camps of his rivals. I doubt if anyone amongst the aspirants can take Chief Olusola Oke for granted in the politics of Ondo State.
“Chief Olusola Oke , a lawyer and seasoned administrator is a man of many parts. He’s a charismatic personality, humorous and full of compassion for human development. He’s a man of high humility, capacity, and ready to walk his talk. He is a man of integrity and ready to take good governance to the next level in Ondo State.”.
Another APC bigwig, Funso Oyepitan said that in view of the political understanding across the three Senatorial zones in the State to guarantee inclusion, fairness, and political stability, the pendulum of where the next governor is coming from is facing the direction of the Southern part of the state.
Oyepitan said: “This political power balancing mechanism or understanding must have catalytically increased the galaxy of political stars on parades, jostling to become the landlord of Alagbaka House at most for 8 years.
“It’s also instructive to know that most of the stars on parades are drawn from the Southern Senatorial zone, thereby foreclosing any uncertainty about where the next governor of Ondo State will emerge from
“This is not the time for our people to be deceived by politics of bread and butter or politics of palliatives. This is the best time for our people to put on their thinking caps and also put their destiny in their hands so that they can critically evaluate the difference between 8 years and 4 years.
“ I honestly want to submit that if there is any aspirant who is aspiring and already limited by law to 4 years only in office when we have array of stars who can do 8 years in office from the South, such an aspirant should be told in a clear term that he is on his personal mission at the expense of the generality of the people of the South.
There is no comparison between the development that will take place in 8 years and 4 years.
“It’s non- negotiable. The Southern Senatorial zone people will never settle for less than 8 years as 4 years is not our portion…CONTINUE READING>>
