— PDP in definite silence as Aiyedatiwa, Jimoh, Oke, Odu, and others plan for APC ticket
Ahead of the completion of the tenure of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in office, a member of the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) representing Ondo State, Barrister Gbenga Edema has offered to serve the people of the state as the next governor.
Starnews Nigeria reports that he made the declaration on Tuesday while playing host to some journalists in Akure, the state capital.
According to Daily Independent, the former member of the state House of Assembly disclosed that he offered to serve the people because of the need to do more to improve the living standard of the people of Ondo State.
He explained that what he has in the offing to offer the people would make a valuable difference in their lives as he had mapped out socio-economic plans to turn around the state’s economy.
Edema, who was a former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), pointed out that putting the right infrastructure in place would engender development in the state.
PDP in definite silence as Aiyedatiwa, Jimoh, Oke, Odu, and others plan for APC ticket
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2024 gubernatorial election, while interested aspirants in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) are planning to get the ticket of their party, Starnews Nigeria can report that the major opposition party in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gone on political sabbatical leave for maintaining an unusual definite culture of silence.
At the time the APC aspirants, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the state deputy governor, Barr Jimoh Ibrahim, the Ondo South Senator, Oladunni Odu, the Ondo State SSG, Olusola Oke, SAN, and the state commissioner for finance, Wale Akinterinwa, with a host of others were planning to get their party ticket to succeed Akeredolu, the PDP in Ondo State is extremely cold as night passes and time dissolves ahead of 2024 governorship election.
In recent times, the PDP in Ondo state appears to be plagued by internal wrangling and disaffection of some members which had led to the increased defection of key chieftains of the party to the ruling APC.
Three weeks ago, Thisday reported how a former House of Representatives candidate of the party, Dr Olumuyiwa Adu, popularly called ‘Adu Cubana’, depleted the camp of the PDP in Akure south when he opted to join the APC’s fold to ensure his followers got their share of good governance.
As if that was not enough, Starnews Nigeria reported how the immediate past Senator in Ondo Central Senatorial District, Ayo Akinyelure, had joined the ruling APC on the floor of the 9th Senate, leading to the exodus movement of his followers in Ondo State to the camp of APC.
Other leaders of the PDP that defected to the APC included executives of the party in four local governments, namely Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Akoko North-West and Akoko North-East in Ondo North Senatorial District.
Added to the list of defectors are Ondo Chairman of PDP Support Group, Bode Obanla, followers of the late lawmaker, Omolafe Adedayo, Elder Smart Oloye, Femi Omolafe, Femi Kolawole, a two-time councillor in Idanre Local Government, Felix Ogundairo, Funke Lawani, Sunday Afolabi, House of Representatives candidates, Olubunmi Adaramola, Johnson Kehinde, Fafunmilade Tilerewa, among others.
In Ondo South which is the stronghold of the party, the PDP also lose the like of Banji Okunomo, a former gubernatorial aspirant, Solomon Bitire, a former council boss, Jossy Ehinmore, a chieftain of the party among four others who joined the ruling APC.
Starnews Nigeria reports authoritatively that the aforementioned APC aspirants are working round the clock to get overwhelming supporters in realising their governorship ambitions.
The likes of Jimoh, Oke and Odun are not leaving any stone unturned in talking to people including members of the opposition parties in the state. Several platforms have been created for the trio. Many political groups have emerged in support of them. The three aspirants have been reaching out to some media professionals in the state. All of them which are from Ondo South are currently in political top gear to succeed Arakunrin Akeredolu.
Political observers who believed that the APC has not done enough to retain power in Ondo State are very concerned about the fate of the party and its chances in the 2024 governorship election. They are also worried that the PDP does not currently have any serious, strong, and active aspirants who have shown interest in the governorship race despite the public’s belief that it is the turn of Ondo South to produce the next governor of Ondo State.
Some PDP leaders in the state including some members of the state executives were also of the view that the leadership of the party in the state headed by Mr Fatai Adams cannot take the PDP to its promised land in the 2024 election.
They insisted that Hon Fatai Adam must resign to make the PDP a viable opposition party capable to challenge the candidate of APC come 2024.
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