AHEAD of next year’s governorship election in Ondo State, the
communities that make up Akoko land in the state have advised the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its governorship candidate to the Northern
Senatorial district.
This, they claimed was the only way the party could improve its
chances of winning the governorship election.
In particular, the communities have asked that PDP should pick someone from Akokoland as any choice contrary to that would be giving a leeway and a platform for the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) to coast home with victory.
In particular, the communities have asked that PDP should pick someone from Akokoland as any choice contrary to that would be giving a leeway and a platform for the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) to coast home with victory.
Besides, the advice is coming in the heels of jostling by the
‘Akure Agenda’ in particular and the South and Central Senatorial districts in
general to produce the governorship candidate for the election.
Akokoland Leaders of Thought who articulated the position of the
communities in Akoko, argued that based on the voting pattern of residents in
the state in the 2015 presidential election, Ondo North was better positioned
to deliver the governorship to PDP come 2016.
In their position paper signed by the president, Dr. Kolawole Bunmi and secretary, Mr. Raymond Ogodo, the Akoko people said that though the governor can emerged from any zone, it would not be proper for Central to produce the next governor because the incumbent is from the Central.
In their position paper signed by the president, Dr. Kolawole Bunmi and secretary, Mr. Raymond Ogodo, the Akoko people said that though the governor can emerged from any zone, it would not be proper for Central to produce the next governor because the incumbent is from the Central.
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They said that the PDP has a strong presence in the South
Senatorial with a showing of 57.4 per cent in the last presidential election.
In addition, it claimed that the zone has the predominance of elective officers
including the senator, all the members of House of Representatives, almost all
the members of the State House of Assembly and the speaker of the State
Assembly.
However, the Akokoland Leaders of Thought would want the state
governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to expedite action on the appointment of political
office holders as well as put machinery in motion to conduct the local
government council elections as part of measures to enhance the PDP chances in
the governorship election.
Accordingly, they argued that it would be unjust and unfair for
the South to produce the next governor, saying: “PDP can not afford to have the
Governor and the Speaker in the same senatorial district. Hence, for PDP, the
governorship should either go to the North or the Central.”
On the ‘Akure Agenda’, the Akoko Leaders of Thought said the argument of marginalisation by the Akure people could only be addressed when the rotation comes back to the Central senatorial district where then the Ondo axis that has enjoyed it would let go for Akure axis.
On the ‘Akure Agenda’, the Akoko Leaders of Thought said the argument of marginalisation by the Akure people could only be addressed when the rotation comes back to the Central senatorial district where then the Ondo axis that has enjoyed it would let go for Akure axis.
The Akoko communities noted that even without a candidate and in
the worst election (presidential) ever suffered by PDP in the region, the party
polled 41 per cent, stressing: “With a candidate from there to face another APC
candidate if it is the one being propagated, we should be thinking of 70per
cent with a credible PDP candidate. If the APC chooses its candidate from
either Central or South, God will give us 92 per cent with all things being
equal.”
They said that the people were desperate and would vote massively
for any party that picks their son or daughter as governorship candidate. They
cautioned that PDP must not forsake Akoko bare for APC to ravage.
However, the Akokoland Leaders of Thought would want the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to expedite action on the appointment of political office holders as well as put machinery in motion to conduct the local government council elections as part of measures to enhance the PDP chances in the governorship election.
“Mr. Governor is also advised to conduct the local government election in earnest to boost the chances of the party during the governorship election in 2016,” they stated.
However, the Akokoland Leaders of Thought would want the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to expedite action on the appointment of political office holders as well as put machinery in motion to conduct the local government council elections as part of measures to enhance the PDP chances in the governorship election.
“Mr. Governor is also advised to conduct the local government election in earnest to boost the chances of the party during the governorship election in 2016,” they stated.
Recently, a chieftain of the PDP and former Director-General of
the National Sports Commission (NSC), Gbenga Elegbeleye spoke in the same vain
arguing that for equity and justice, Ondo North should produce the next
governor.
“No party can afford to toy with the determination of a people who are fighting for justice and equity. As you can see already, a lot of socio-political, cultural and youth groups are calling for the governorship to go back to where it started from in 1999. They are making justified demands and if we are part of the same state with the others, I think we should not be relegated to the background,” he told The Guardian.
“No party can afford to toy with the determination of a people who are fighting for justice and equity. As you can see already, a lot of socio-political, cultural and youth groups are calling for the governorship to go back to where it started from in 1999. They are making justified demands and if we are part of the same state with the others, I think we should not be relegated to the background,” he told The Guardian.
Elegbeleye said that the North was now more united than it was
before on the venture to produce the next governor of the state.
“I am talking as an Akoko man and I know that the anticipation all over the place is for a governor of northern extraction. And I want to tell you that this same sentiment has closed whatever gap people might be pointing at between the Akoko and the Owo/Ose axis of the senatorial district. This time around, any political party that picks its candidate from outside the North does so at its own peril. No party can afford to toy with the determination of a people who are fighting for justice and equity.”
“I am talking as an Akoko man and I know that the anticipation all over the place is for a governor of northern extraction. And I want to tell you that this same sentiment has closed whatever gap people might be pointing at between the Akoko and the Owo/Ose axis of the senatorial district. This time around, any political party that picks its candidate from outside the North does so at its own peril. No party can afford to toy with the determination of a people who are fighting for justice and equity.”
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