Ondo Poll: Former Ondo Rep, Omogbehin dumps Akeredolu for Ajayi

• Writes followers, gives reasons

• Cautions every southerner planning to truncate Ajayi’s chances

A former member of the House of Representatives representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Hon. Mike Adeniyi Omogbehin, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, has declared total support for Hon. Agboola Ajayi, the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party

Omogbehin, a member of the Akeredolu campaign council in the state dumped Akeredolu for Ajayi in an official statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday morning.

He gave four reasons he declared support for Ajayi, the Ondo State Deputy Governor, ahead of the gubernatorial election in Ondo State slated for October 10,

Let me make my position absolutely clear on the next gubernatorial election in Ondo State. Particularly, for those who have been calling to ask why I’ve appeared evasive about who I’m supporting in the election.

I’m supporting HE, Chief Agboola Alfred Ajayi, LLB, BL. If you don’t believe he’s a lawyer, that’s your problem. I attended his call to the bar. Former Councillor, Supervisory Councillor, Chairman LG Council, MHR, Chairman house Cmtt on NDDC and currently the Deputy Governor of Ondo State. A successful businessman outside politics, whose business interests cut across construction, quarry, oil, etc.

I know all this because he’s my friend. I’ve listened to his side of the stories and I believed him. I have no reason to doubt his ability to manage the affairs of Ondo State successfully, having managed his life from grass to the enviable position of grace he occupies today. He’s successful in his marriage and a proud father of equally successful children.

1. I’m supporting Agboola Ajayi because he’s grossly underrated, undermined, humiliated and viciously persecuted. I love underdogs. He shared in my philosophy; There is joy in little beginning.
2. I’m supporting Agboola Ajayi because he’s the only one visible on the ballot from my oppressed southern senatorial district of Ondo State. Evidence abounds that occupants of the gubernatorial office tend to develop their district far more than other senatorial districts. It has apparently become a turn by turn phenomenon. It’s, therefore, the turn of Ondo South.
3. I’m supporting Agboola Ajayi because I do not subscribe to the beliefs of the proponents of “wait for the next 4 years to take our 8 years”. It’s a defeatist and wicked proposition borne out of their dislike and hatred for this humble and amiable gentleman from Apoi land. If I may ask, why did Dr Agagu, my mentor, God bless his soul, not wait for Adefariati to complete his 8 years before contesting and winning in 2003? Why did Dr Mimiko not wait for Agagu’s 8 years before contesting in 2007, followed it to its legal conclusion and took his turn? Where were these proponents when our leader, Chief Olusola Oke contested in 2012 against Dr Mimiko and didn’t wait for him to complete his 8 years? Chief Oke was also a victim of “it’s not our turn” apostles. We know them, they know themselves. For me, Dr Mimiko spent 8 years by default because votes where split among the opposition. Put the votes of opposition together and the story would have been different, that’s by the way. I’m not moved by the possibility of history repeating itself, let Agboola too try his luck, let him take his turn, win or lose.
4. I’m supporting Agbola Ajayi from the southern senatorial district because I do not know what informed the belief that it would be the turn of the southern senatorial district after Akeredolu. What makes it so sacrosanct? So, if Southern senatorial district people can contest in every gubernatorial election in Ondo State since 1999, other qualified and interested people from the rest senatorial districts are daft or hypnotised to give us a free ride come 2023?

”Aghan gho! Je ja jawo ni apan ye yo, ja gb’omi ila lena. Aghan ji j’origho wa han n’eni, a ji j’aghan mu dola!” History will be harsh to all of you who’re planning to throw away this opportunity from the southern senatorial district, just for your intellectual arrogance and personal aggrandisement. He can’t speak English, he’s not pragmatic, the last time I checked, none of these your yardsticks is listed in the Nigerian constitution. When Buhari was approving about $2B for a railway line to his kinsmen in Niger, I didn’t see him displaying his PhD. Aghan gun’yan ilema, temi ta ku’o!