Will Ondo fare better after 2016 governorship election?

BY OLUBI OLASOGBA

Of the states in the South West Region, attention will be shifted towards Ondo state this year as the governorship election is scheduled to hold there in October. The two-term tenure of the incumbent governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, will lapse and a new chapter in the life of the state would be opened. Ongoing alignment and realignment within the two leading political Parties APC and PDP will definitely shape events in this election year.

But, as the present distasteful situation in Ondo state would have it, the major actors of this election should be the Ondo people themselves, the common voters and party delegates alike. The opportunity to make a better decision about who will lead them in the next four years has finally come; it is time for them to be the master of their fate beyond depressing sentiments.

For any indigent and truly concerned individual from Ondo, it is clear as day that the state has been run on a retrogressive pace, especially in the past 7 years under the stewardship of Governor Mimiko of the PDP. While it is true that Mimiko’s government has been able to record only pockets of development so far despite the undeniable influx of cash, it is not a satirical truth that Ondo hasn’t been able to maximize its many prospects at greatness because of this kind of leadership that has glaringly proven to lack the know-how to lead effectively.

And as always, the sufferers have been the Ondo masses who constantly decry their perennial poverty and who haven’t been given the infrastructure to create self-worth and wealth despite the prospects of bliss, which sadly remain untapped in the land. The government so far has not been for the people; it has been widely tagged elitist and insensitive.

At 40 and with her abundant resources, Ondo state shouldn’t have the habit of owing its own workers; Ondo state shouldn’t really stack up debts, especially not to the tune of a N100 billion; Ondo state shouldn’t have any difficulty creating jobs and avenues for empowerment; Ondo shouldn’t even be heavily reliant on Abuja money. But sadly, all these sickening strangeness are Ondo’s harsh and daunting reality at the moment, especially in this 7 years of the Mimiko administration. Development has been pegged, and it’s no doubt painful.

All these have seem to give the APC an edge in the scheme of thoughts and opinions among Ondo citizens as they head to the polls. While the ruling PDP in the state is losing some of its chieftains to the opposition APC ahead of the coming governorship election, the opposition party itself is bedevilled with serious internal squabbles which may spell doom for it at the polls. Interested aspirants in the two parties have kick-started their campaigns across the 18 council areas of the state, an indication that they mean serious business.

As expected, an avalanche of names have sprung up from different coffers, politically-minded groups and spurious political permutations, each rightly or otherwise touting one or two names as possible successors to Mimiko.

As this race gathers momentum, it’s getting obvious by the day, that the candidature of one of the APC aspirants largely described in and around Ondo state as an incurable philanthropist, consummate industrialist, and a long-serving progressive loyalist, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, is gathering the most steam. His popularity in core Ondo mainstream is not unconnected to the fact that he has effectively, albeit silently, contributed to the development of the state and her citizens for more than 30 years. Having run a similar campaign on the same APC platform four years ago, Olusegun Abraham his being heavily tipped by truly concerned and informed Ondo people to make the much-needed difference from the Alagbaka house. Olusegun Abraham is from Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East Local government, the zone also tipped to deservedly produce the next governor in the state.

Other names that have shown interest and who have started gathering gradual moss include Senator Ajayi Boroffice, who won his second term seat to the senate in 2015. He is from the Akoko South West local government. Also is the running is former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan; he is equally from Akoko South West local government. He defected from the PDP to APC before the last general election.

Former governorship candidate of the defunct ACN, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, is also not backing out of the poll. The APC stalwart is from Owo local government. It will be recalled that Akeredolu, in a recent interview, boasted that he would be the next governor of the state.

The National Secretary of Labour Party (LP), Kayode Ajulo, may likely contest the seat under LP platform. Ajulo, who is known to be one of Mimiko’s confidants, is the Board Chairman of Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC).  Ajulo is from Ifira-Akoko.

Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, a member of PDP from Akoko North East is one of those eyeing the seat. He was a former House of Representatives lawmaker, representing Akoko North East/West.

Dr. Olu Agunloye, from Akoko North East, may likely contest. He was among the defunct ACN governorship aspirants in 2012. He dumped the party for LP after he was not given the ticket. He also joined PDP in 2014. He teamed up with old PDP group led by Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim to frustrate Mimiko’s return to the PDP.

Another person interested in the seat is Alhaji Jamiu Ekungba. He is a leader of APC and a member of the Board of Trustees of the party. He is from Owo local government.

Relatively, Niran Sule from Owo local government is also eyeing the seat. He was among the defectors who joined APC from PDP.

Akinfehinwa Awodeyi, also known as Apata, and also from Owo local government, has never hidden his interest to rule the state. During the general election, as he was campaigning for his party candidates, he was also building his political structures ahead of 2016.

Mrs. Jumoke Aniwofose, the daughter of the first Civilian Governor of old Ondo State, late Adekunle Ajasin, is also interested in the seat. She was State Chairman of the defunct ACN before she resigned to contest as governorship aspirant of ACN in 2012.

Well, for all Ondo citizens, and even Nigerians at large, I believe it is high time we all stopped allowing shallow parameters peg us back and blur our sense of judgment. One thing that is sure is that when bias-based parameters reflective of short-sightedness are embraced, they clearly expose the shallow-mindedness of the general Nigerian followership, and as a result, impede the chances of getting consummate and people-oriented leadership.

As already stated above, time is now for the enduring people of Ondo to make a better decision as touching electing a new leader. This decision should be based on the test of integrity, compassion and godliness.

Ondo people must know that after all is said and done, the power belongs to them, and as the 2016 gubernatorial election beckons, they must get ready to exercise their constitutional right in ensuring that the Sunshine state actually shines.

Olubi Olasogba wrote from Akure