Mr Olusola Oke, one of the gubernatorial aspirants, on the All Progressives Congress, APC, platform in Ondo State, has obtained the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.
Oke pledged that he would reduce poverty if elected in the state.
He spoke on Wednesday while hosting 26 associations under the platform of Unity Forum that purchased the forms for him in Abuja.
“Under my watch in Ondo, we will reduce poverty. The state is not meant to be poor at all with the abundant natural, agricultural resources and longest coastline. I will bring back those good old days.
“We will generate employment, create wealth for our people and return them to the proud people they used to be. There will be a new lease of life and Ondo will rise again and the sun will shine again.
“We are going to engage in massive opening up of the rural areas for the first time so that our people can access our wealth. It has been our major problem since the creation of the state. The rural dwellers have never been touched or given the opportunity,” he said.
The aspirant, who called for a change in the party’s leadership in the state, also pledged to promote unity among the party’s stakeholders.
“We are all aware that the party has been going through trying period with the centre not holding.
“Our experience in the last election shows that there is need to have a new leadership, new face and new APC in the state.
“I represent that new face of APC in Ondo State. I will unite everybody and my mission will be to protect APC.
“Unless there is a change in the leadership of the APC in the state, the party may slide into opposition. I have to come out because we don’t want it to happen.
“During the general election, we lost two senatorial seats, five House of Representatives and the presidential election in the state,” Oke said.
He said that he was stepping forward with confidence to have the party ticket to deliver.
“As at today, I am the only person that will have the ticket and there will be no PDP in Ondo State,” the aspirant said.
Earlier, the Director-General, Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation, Mr Olariwaju Kazeem, presented the nomination forms to Oke under the platform of the Unity Forum.
Kazeem urged the party’s National Working Committee to approve direct mode of primary to ensure members’ participation and fairness in the process.
Source: NAN