By Anjorin Alowonle
With pomp and elan, Ondo State Governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday, threw his hat into the ring yesterday in Akure as he announced his intention to contest the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial vote in Ondo State.
In an event that looked like a carnival of colours, culture and music, Ayi edatiwa sent a clear message to other contenders that he is the man to beat not only in the primaries of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, but also in the election proper.
The atmosphere was electrifying at the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade, Akure, the Ondo State capital as Aiyedatiwa, surrounded by his loyalists and supporters, serenaded the crowd with a long list of the achievements of his party, as well as those of the Rotimi Akeredolu/Lucky Aiyedatiwa’a administrations in the Sunshine State.
Tuesday’s declaration by Governor Aiyedatiwa was witnessed by a roll-call of who-is-who in the state, beyond the state, as well as APC.
Aiyedatiwa, who became the governor of the state on December 27, 2023, following the demise of his principal, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, will be contesting the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress at a primary coming up in April.
Dignitaries that attended the declaration included some elders and leaders of the Ondo State APC, former Ondo North Senatorial District senator, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice; a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abiola Makinde, members of the state House of Assembly, representatives of the State Working Committee of the party, among others.
Speaking at the event, Aiyedatiwa told the huge crowd that he was seeking to retain the governorship seat to continue from where his late principal, Governor Akeredolu, stopped, particularly in the area of welfare of the people, infrastructural development and security.
His words: “Distinguished citizens and party faithful, I must reecho what our late leader had always wished for in his lifetime. It was his wish that I succeed him, not in death though, as the next governor of the state.
“He (Akeredolu) 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.
“My dear people of Ondo State, the gubernatorial primary election is at hand. Your vote is a potent weapon that must be wisely used. We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this state with muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers, who once governed this state, handed to our generation.”
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Olamide Oladiji, who spoke on behalf of the majority members of the Assembly, drew loud applause from the crowd as he announced that 18 of the 26 state lawmakers were ready to support the governor.
“We have about 18 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly here with Governor Aiyedatiwa,” Oladiji said. “The Ondo House is for Aiyedatiwa, even those who are not APC, they are in the same struggle with us.
“My advice to our leaders across the 18 local governments is, go back to your local governments and do the needful. Let the reconciliation continue; come April 24 (primary), we will deliver for Honorable Aiyedatiwa. On behalf of the honorable members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Governor, congratulations in advance.”
A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency, Mr. Abiola Makinde, said all the members of the House of Representatives from the state had endorsed Aiyedatiwa as the governor.
“This is my second time as Rep,” began. “It’s not easy to hold a public office. Aiyedatiwa is the right man to govern our state for the next four years. He has done well in the few weeks of taking over the office. He will do well in four years. We, members of House of Representatives from Ondo State, have endorsed Governor Aiyedatiwa.”
Come April 24, 2024, Aiyedatiwa will slug it out with other aspirants at the APC governorship primary.
His opponents include: Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, a former Commissioner for Finance; Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, a former member of the House of Representatives; Mrs. Oladunni Odu, a former Secretary to the State Government; and Prof Francis Faduyile, a former Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Health.
Others include a former governorship aspirant of the APC, Chief Olusola Oke; a former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil-producing Areas Development Commission, Mr. Gbenga Edema; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; Dr. Paul Akintelure; and Brig. Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye (retd.).
