Ondo APC Aspirants Gear Up for April Primary Ahead of 2024 Guber Poll
Fidelis David reports that the stage appears set for next month’s All Progressives Congress’ primaries ahead of the 2024 governorship poll in Ondo State.
The race to the November 16, 2024 governorship election in the sunshine state is gathering momentum as all roads that lead to the election look literarily unpredictable. For now, at least 20 aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have registered their readiness to battle the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the primary election holding next month.
Unfortunately, among all the political parties in the state, APC has more aspirants than other parties.
APC Aspirants
For now, those jostling under the platform of APC to take over from Aiyedatiwa, whose tenure ends on February 24, 2025 include former Commissioner for Finance in the State, Mr Wale Akinterinwa; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin; former member who represented the State on the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Olugbenga Edema; two-time governorship candidate in the state (2012 and 2016), Olusola Oke; former Director of Finance at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Brigadier-General Olumide Ohunyeye (rtd), business mogul and incumbent Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim.
Others include the Executive Director (Engineering and Technical Services) at Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, Engr. Ifeoluwa Olusola Oyedele; APC National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Isaac Kekemeke; former President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Adedayo Faduyile; Dr Paul Akintelure, Mr. Olusola Iji, Hon. Jimi Odimayo and Mr. Matthew Oyerinmade, among others.
Fears are, however, rife 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.
Lucky Aiyedatiwa
On December 27, 2023, Lucky Aiyedatiwa was sworn-in as governor of Ondo state following the death of his principal and former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and thus, by law, Aiyedatiwa is expected to complete the joint tenure of late Akeredolu and himself by February 2025.
Besides, Aiyedatiwa is also eligible to contest the November 16 governorship poll in the state and perhaps, with his ambition, he's leaving no stone unturned to secure the parties ticket.
No Automatic Ticket
However, The declaration by the national secretariat that there will be no automatic ticket for the governor, has also piled pressure on Aiyedatiwa, who is now seeking endorsement from the public.
Six members of the House of Representatives caucus of the APC from Ondo State recently wrote to President Tinubu about Aiyedatiwa, alleging that he was creating a crisis in the party in the state and exhibiting disdain for his late predecessor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The open letter to President Tinubu was signed by six lawmakers, namely, Adesida Abiodun Cornelius (Akure North/South), Timehin Adelegbe (Owo/ Ose), Festus Ayodele (Ileoluji-Okeigbo/ Odigbo), Ojogo Donald (Ilaje/Ese-Odo), Odimayo Okunjimi (Okitipupa/Irele), and Adegboyega Adefarati (Akoko South West/South East).
However, the lawmaker representing Ondo East/Ondo West federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Abiola Makinde in his reaction said that while there is a known aspirant among the six that wrote the letter, all of them were supporting different aspirants.
Late Akeredolu's Wish
Besides, last Tuesday, the governor formally declared his intention to contest the governorship seat declaring that his late principal had always wished that he (Aiyedatiwa) succeeds him.
“Distinguished citizens and party faithfuls, I must re-echo what our late leader had always wished for in his life time. It was his wish that I succeed him, not in death though, as the next Governor of the State. He was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretense and so he expressed this wish at different fora in both public and private.
“All was with one conviction and implicit confidence in me to carry on the torch of accelerated development which he lighted first in 2017 and later renewed under a joint ticket for both of us in the 2021 gubernatorial election.
Exploiting Akeredolu's Name
Unfortunately, few hours after the statement, Richard Olatunde, the former Chief Press Secretary to the late Governor, warned Aiyedatiwa, to stop exploiting the deceased governor's name for political gain.
Olatunde emphasised that both Akeredolu's family and his ardent supporters across the state strongly object to Governor Aiyedatiwa's deceptive tactics, stating that the narrative regarding the alleged wish of Akeredolu, for Governor Aiyedatiwa to succeed him has gone too far to be disregarded.
“This narrative began even before our leader was laid to rest. Out of respect and utmost reverence for our late Governor, we chose not to engage with those spreading this narrative. While we acknowledge that the political atmosphere in the state is intensifying, we want to unequivocally state that the late Governor did not anoint or express a desire for Aiyedatiwa to succeed him. On the contrary, the relationship between the late Governor and Governor Aiyedatiwa became strained and distant until his passing.
“Despite attending to official matters and meeting people from Akure, the late Governor intentionally kept Mr. Aiyedatiwa, who was the deputy governor at the time, away from him in Ibadan. Our late Governor was deeply disappointed and regretful of certain behaviours and character traits displayed by Mr. Aiyedatiwa during his health challenges, which ultimately led to his passing.
“We have also observed the circulation of a video recorded during the swearing-in ceremony of the late Governor and Mr. Aiyedatiwa as Governor and deputy governor, respectively. Undoubtedly, our late Governor had high hopes for Mr. Aiyedatiwa. The late Akeredolu never concealed his intentions.”
Vote of No Confidence
Also, less than 24 hours after endorsing Aiyedatiwa's governorship bid on behalf of Ondo State Assembly, some members of the Assembly passed a vote of no confidence on the Speaker, Hon Olamide Oladiji.
The Speaker in his goodwill message, during Aiyedatiwa's official declaration assured the governor of the support of the members of 18 out of the 26 members of the Assembly in getting the ticket of APC and winning the main election in November.
However, 13 members of the Assembly, in a statement distanced themselves from the endorsement, describing the statement of the speaker as embarrassing and disappointing.
The lawmakers who signed the statement include, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi (Majority Leader), Moyinolorun Taiwo Ogunwumiju (Parliamentary Secretary), Oluwarotimi Fasonu (Chief Whip), Olajide Oguntodu (Minority Leader), Raymond Daodu (Deputy Minority Leader), and Akinsuroju Nelson, Akomolafe Temitope, Ifabiyi Olatunji, Agbulu Akeem, Christopher Ayebusiwa, Atinuke Witherspoon, Biola Oladapo and Afe Felix.
Less than 24 hours after endorsing Aiyedatiwa’s governorship bid on behalf of Ondo State Assembly, some members of the Assembly passed a vote of no confidence on the Speaker, Hon Olamide Oladiji. The Speaker in his goodwill message, during Aiyedatiwa’s official declaration assured the governor of the support of the members of 18 out of the 26 members of the Assembly in getting the ticket of APC and winning the main election in November. However, 13 members of the Assembly, in a statement distanced themselves from the endorsement, describing the statement of the speaker as embarrassing and disappointing.