The coming November 16, 2024 Governorship Election offers the people of Ondo State another golden opportunity to decide through their votes their leader for the next four years.
Altogether, 17 political parties are fielding candidates for the election. But considering their spread statewide, together with their structural and organizational strength, the race will likely be a straight fight between the two leading political parties in the state. These are the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC., and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. For the record, the PDP. is the foremost opposition political party in the state.
Other opposition parties likely to make an impact in the election are the SDP., LP., NNPP., and ZLP. But how far these four opposition parties could stand shoulder to shoulder with the APC. and PDP. in this election is yet to be seen.
In this piece, we wish to concern ourselves with the chances of the incumbent Governor of the State, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, in the November 16, 2024 Governorship Election.
What stands him out as the candidate to beat in the Election? What are the factors in his favor that are giving his opponents sleepless nights? And why would it benefit the good people of Ondo State to endow Aiyedatiwa with the mandate to retain the office for the next four years, at least.
As findings backed up by raw empirical data show, Aiyedatiwa, the state’s former Deputy Governor, who, in line with the constitutional provisions, stepped in ten months ago as the Executive Governor with the passage of former Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeeedolu, SAN., stands tall above all the other candidates at the election. As such, the popular votes are likely to swing in his favor.
Foremost among the credits to his favor is his performance in office so far. Judging by the past behavior of the state’s highly enlightened and politically conscious electorate, which has been consistent, particularly as regards incumbent power holders standing as candidates at elections to renew their continuance in office, Aiyedatiwa is on the good side of the Ondo State people and electorate.
It is apposite to recall here that this trend of paying back the incumbent governors of the state for their creditable or woeful performance in office during their first terms, started with the first Civilian Governor of the old Ondo State, the reverent Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin.
Ajasin’s superlative performance in his first term between 1979 and 1983 in terms of the numerous people-oriented development projects that his administration executed with limited resources so impressed and marveled the people such that they overwhelmingly returned the sage for his second term.
And they stood by their votes. Remarkably too, during his political trial in the unfortunate crisis that trailed his resounding reelection victory, his detention and trial by the tribunal set up by the military to probe the sacked political office holders including all former governors, the people of the old Ondo State still stood lovingly by their darling ex-Governor Ajasin, who emerged unblemished after the trial.
Even, many years after leaving office, and throughout his life, he remained popular and relevant among not only his people in the old Ondo State but in the entire Yorubaland and the Country, all by virtue of his exemplary first-class performance in office as governor.
Though this second term was aborted by the 1983 military coup, Ajasin had laid the brilliant and shining record that visible, creditable performance with sincerity of purpose alone automatically earned the trust and lawful votes of the people. Nothing else.
All along, even after the old Ondo State was broken into the current Ondo and Ekiti States, the people of Ondo State have consistently been returning or rejecting their incumbent leaders seeking reelection through their votes based on the criteria they used for Ajasin. So, Ajasin has become the reference point for the people of the state, Yorubaland, and the Country.
What is Aiyedatiwa’s scorecard in the last ten months that raised him to the colossal status of Ajasin, and that will eventually pave the way for his return to the Alagbaka Akure Government House through the coming November 16, 2024 Governorship Election?
- Continued implementation of the ongoing projects of the departed Governor Akeredolu in all sectors statewide;
- He is worker-friendly as he regularly addresses their welfare and other needs including promotion and clearing of their backlog of unpaid salaries and pension arrears;
- Approval of monthly palliative allowance for all public workers to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal on them;
- Approval of N73,000 new minimum wage for workers, N3,000 above the Federal Government approval at a time when many states are still dilly-dallying;
- Approval of over N2 billion as soft loans for those in the informal sector like peasant farmers, petty traders, artisans, and small-scale entrepreneurs to access and grow their ventures;
- Prioritizing the needs of the rural areas;
- Commissioning and sinking of 54 boreholes in rural communities statewide for potable water;
- Approval and installation of 1600 solar-powered streetlights for illumination and security in communities statewide;
- Approval of immediate palliative measures and lasting solutions with steps to ensure food sufficiency in the state;
- As part of efforts to make food available to the people at affordable prices, the Aiyedatiwa government came up with the Thursday Market at the Ministry of Agriculture where affordable foodstuffs are available and the ongoing test-running of purchase of grains like rice, beans, and gari to sell directly to the masses ahead of full-time commencement are part of efforts;
- The government is also supporting farmers in the areas of land cultivation and distribution of farm tools/equipment and inputs to boost food production and as well serve as an attraction to others including youths to farming;
- To ensure the security of lives and property, the governor is giving needed logistic support to the security agencies to be more effective in the discharge of their duties;
- He has also strengthened the Amotekun Security Network so that the communities, roads, and farms can be secured;
- Unlike in some other states rocked by restiveness in the communities, the governor is not tampering with the allocations meant for the Local Governments;
- He is not interfering with the selection of obas contrary to the practice in some states that fuels perpetual communal unrest;
- He runs an inclusive government style carrying people along in the administration as exemplified in his appointment of 344 Special Assistants and Senior Special Assistants in one day in fulfillment of his promise of involving everybody in government. These people are from different homes and communities where their impacts are being felt;
– And many more
Another strong factor working in Aiyedatiwa’s favor is the cohesion and unity now existing within his party.
The primary of the APC., usually a hotbed of irreconcilable differences tearing parties apart, which was won by Aiyedatiwa, threw up controversies and precipitated a crisis that rocked the party for some months. Some of the aspirants who felt aggrieved by the outcome threatened brimstones and fire.
Notably and surprisingly too, the crisis has now died down due to the mature way party leaders and stakeholders handled and resolved it amicably.
The former aspirants who were aggrieved have now agreed to work for the party and ensure the victory of its candidate and incumbent Governor Aiyedatiwa at the coming November 16 Governorship Election.
This is a positive development that cannot be easily achieved by other candidates from all the other opposition parties. This unity is a veritable concrete wall that no opposition can easily penetrate or compromise. Besides, this is a strong signal that all notable APC leaders and members in Ondo State are not prepared to trade away the party’s expected victory at the November 16 Governorship Election, over any other personal interest or anything.
For instance, Chief Olusola Oke, who scored the third highest number of votes at the exercise; APC.’s former State Chairman and now the party’s Deputy National Chairman South West, Hon Isaac Kekemeke; and the immediate former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa have all collapsed their structures for the Governor. Indeed the three bigwigs are now all on Aiyedatiwa’s campaign train, speaking at rallies and convincing their supporters and the state/s people to vote for Aiyedatiwa in the November 16 Election.
The former aspirants who are now in the same boat with Aiyedatiwa include Chief Samuel Akinfolarin; Chief Olusola Oke, SAN; Barrister Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim; Mr. Wale Akinterinwa; Hon Isaac Kekemeke; Chief Adekojo Funmilayo; Chief Soji Ehinlanwo; Mr. Jimi Odimayo; Engnr. Ife Oyedele; Gen Olamide Ohunyeye (rtd); Prof Dayo Faduyile; Prince Diran lyantan., Hon Morayo Lebi; and Mrs Judith Omogoroye.
Another strong factor in the governor’s favor is the support of former Governor Olusegun Miimiko. A former two-term governor under the successive platforms of the Labour Party, LP., and the PDP. Mimiko who later formed the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP., has a large followership that has openly decamped to the APC. The former governor has also collapsed his structure for Aiyedatiwa and is working for his victory.
Also, with the power of incumbency, together with the increasing numbers of former opposition parties’ members decamping publicly at the ongoing statewide rallies, Aiyedatiwa’s supporters, field workers, and party loyalists are growing by the day, at a rate which none of the opposition parties could match.
This sends a strong message to the people of the state particularly the electorate that Aiyedatiwa is their popular candidate and choice at the November 16 Governorship Election; and that they do not need to waste their votes on any other candidates.
Moreover, this is a strong signal to members of the opposition political parties to join the Aiyedatiwa train and enable him to coast into a resounding victory at the election.
Besides, the governor has gone on Senatorial district campaign tours, during which he made strong political statements that endeared him to the people.
Now, he is on a tour of the state’s 18 Local Government Areas, making popular statements such as “My Government does not tamper with Local Governments’ revenue,” “I won’t interfere in the selection of oba,” and “Development projects to be evenly distributed statewide,” among others.
To continue…
This special publication was written by the Media Team of the Onibudo of Ugboland and APC Chieftain Chief ‘Wole Iroaye.
November 16 Governorship Election: Ondo State People Are Happy With Aiyedatiwa
