2024: Ondo South Citizens’ Forum Dares APC, Says Impose Aiyedatiwa and Face Dire Consequence

By Chimaobi Uchendu

Ondo South Citizens’ Forum, Lagos Branch, has warned the All Progressives Congress, APC of a dire consequence of imposing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the gubernatorial candidate for the party at the primary election on Saturday.

The aggrieved Ondo citizens addressed the media in Lagos on Tuesday insisting that the South Senatorial Zone will never support any aspirant out of the 16 contesting who is limited by law to spend four years instead of eight.

Speaking at the media parley, Chairman of the forum, Otunba Sola Olatunji appealed to the APC leadership not to aid the clandestine move by some selfish politicians in the state to foment trouble by shortchanging the people of the South zone.

Olatunji said:”It’s now the turn of Ondo South to produce a governor for eight years, like their counterparts from Ondo Central and Ondo North had their chance, respectively

“We are  alarmed that out of the 16 aspirants who have been cleared by the APC screening  committee, majority of them  are insisting on 8 years for Ondo South, while  the governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is the only one who is clamouring for four years because, he  is already limited by law. He can’t be sworn in more than twice, which will ultimately shortchange Ondo South.

“While we recognize his right to aspire to any position of his choice, we have made frantic efforts to prevail on him to drop his ambition and think of other alternative political option he can pursue after his current tenure expires in February 2025. We are very much aware of the collateral damage his emergence as the flag bearer of APC will cause the party in the November 2024 gubernatorial election.

“All efforts to prevail on  Mr. Governor to see reason while his ambition is not being supported by his people back home has remained futile as he displays arrant selfishness even boasting that there is ‘no vacancy in Alagbaka’. In his desperation to realise his selfish objectives, we are also aware that Ondo State treasury has since been pilfered and people driven by stomach infrastructure ignorantly endorsement endorse him. Yet the APC is watching as if trying to put the might of the Ondo South to test.”

Ondo South comprises six LGA viz Odigbo, Okitipupa, Irele, Ile Oluji/Okeigbo, Ilaje and Ese Odo. Unfortunately, the only presence of the state government in the zone was during the late Dr Olusegun Agagu  who constitutionally spent four years as governor. After him, Segun Mimiko literally ostracized the South Ondo for eight years as evident in the state of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa,  that has since been overtaken by thick forest. For eight years Mimiko did not lay one brick in the University as several projects were abandoned now living the students to battle with snakes, all manners of reptile and weird animals on the campus.

“Enough is enough,” Olatunji said. “Ondo South has been brutally dealt with, always at the receiving end under subsequent regimes after Agagu and we are saying ‘No to four years. Eight years is not negotiable.

“A stitch in time saves nine, as often said. That is why we are making this clarion call to the leadership of APC and political gladiators in Ondo State to weigh the consequences of hurting the Southern citizens. We are patriotic party men and women and we want the best in Ondo State. But if some selfish people think they can foment trouble in the South, we shall be more than willing to cut them to size. And this includes making a bold announcement with our votes in November.

“We are more disturbed that some respected party leaders, mostly from Ondo Central, have joined forces with the governor to sabotage the eight years of ONDO SOUTH without looking at the grave implications of their actions. While we are not questioning their rights to associate, we see this unholy alliance as a conspiracy hatched to sabotage the political interest of Ondo State.

“ To us in Ondo South, where we have people with impeccable characters,  capacity and credible credentials to function effectively for 8 years amongst the aspirants, we are demanding that only aspirant eligible for 8 years will be supported in Ondo South.  We are not going to support any aspirant who is limited to 4 years by law.”

Another member of the Forum, Madam Oganbule answering questions from the journalists said nodody in the state has a monopoly of political rascality while “I call on the leadership of APC to save us from the looming catastrophe in the state.”