- Pledges: ‘Declaration of state emergency on power outage in Ondo South my first assignment in Senate’
By Banji Ayoola
Billionaire businessman and senatorial aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, has promised to end the blackout that has pervaded the Ondo South Senatorial District, for about 20 years if elected into the Senate.
A statement by the Director of Communication, Jimoh Ibrahim Senatorial Campaign Organisation, JISCO, Mr Yemi Akintomide, said that his principal, who holds two national honours of OFR and CFR, gave the pledge at the University of Fortune, Igbotako, at a meeting he held with over 280 delegates who will elect the party’s candidate for the district this at its Senatorial Primary.
The statement said that the founder of Fortune University and the Araba of Ikaleland, whom it described as a front-line senatorial aspirant in the district, told the delegates that he would use his “wealth of experience, National and international connections to attract both human and infrastructure developments to the district.”
It noted that he held a fruitful deliberation with the Ondo South APC delegates at the Faculty of Law Lecture theater of the university, which it described as an architectural masterpiece of international standard.
His words: “My first assignment as your Senator when your votes take me to the Senate is to sponsor a bill declaring a State of Emergency on the unfortunate 20 year old power outrage in Ondo South Senatorial District.
“There is also the need for our party to present a candidate with capacity and capability to win the Senate seat for APC from the incumbent from the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
“The Senate seat is our ticket to get the next Governorship slot in 2025, because it will be pretty difficult for the South to claim the Governorship seat without a sitting APC Senator from the district; rather, it will go to a district with APC Senator.”
He said that “the about two decades blackout in some parts of Ondo South which has put the district out of the national grid is not meant to be,” adding that a sponsored bill by a Senator who can easily connect with the leadership of the National Assembly will do the magic and as soon as it becomes a bill, he will ensure that the Senate where he will be a ranking member of its leadership caucus as a CFR will make the bill to become a Law that the President whom he easily has access to, will endorse in no time.”
According to the statement: “The APC trailblazer and leading light of the ruling party in Ondo State, promised that women will not be left out of his development scheme. He assured the women of the District that 25% of his salary will go to taking care of their welfare.
“Ibrahim lamented the failed state of mega projects status in Nigeria, stressing that when he gets to the Senate, he will sponsor the Bill, setting up of mega projects assessment committee as the committee will put an end to the mismanagement of mega projects spread across the country, which have all become conduit pipes through which tax payers money are siphoned.
“While assuring the delegates that he means well and he is accessible, the Igbotako born politician said the University he has established will not be beyond the reach of students of Ondo South at completion, adding that if students from outside the state are paying tuition fee that is high, those from Ondo South will just be paying half of the tuition fee.”
Akintomide quoted his principal saying: “I am bringing this citadel of learning of international standard to my homestead, Igbotako because I want to contribute to immediate community and humanity. My family is not here so it’s not as if I am building this educational edifice because of my children; but I am building it for the use of humanity and it is going to put Ondo South on the global stage and reckoning.
“I am for the development of Ondo South Senatorial District. I do not have any other district to call my own except this my dear Ondo South and I have the financial capacity, the intellectual wherewithal and the economic means as well as the required link and leverage to put dots of verifiable development in Ondo South Senatorial District.
“As your son, your brother and your leading aspirant of this great party, I have come to seek your votes, I have come to persuade you to give me your votes on Friday.
“I have come to sell my candidacy and make you see that I have the courage of my conviction to be your Senator because our District needs a bold, high ranking Senator and by the virtue of my honour as a Commander of the Order, Federal Republic (CFR), I am the best aspirant of our party and the most suitable candidate for the job.”
He charged the delegates to look for Jimoh Ibrahim on the ballot paper on Friday and not Araba, noting that Araba is his title and and Jimoh Ibrahim is his name.
He thanked all the delegates for coming to the parley and for their anticipated support at the APC primary.
Earlier, while welcoming the delegates, the Director-General of JISCO, Dr. Yemi Ayodele, assured them that with Ibrahim as senator, good things are coming to Ondo South’
He described his principal as the harbinger of the forthcoming development, who is making genuine effort to represent the district at the 10th Senate.
The DG told the delegates that Ibrahim has a master plan for holistic development of the entire Southern Senatorial District and execution of the master plan in the first two years of his membership of the Senate.
