The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State are expected to conclude their governorship primaries on or before April 25, 2024 ahead of the Gubernatorial Election of the state slated to hold on Saturday, November 16, 2024, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In this article, AKINRINLOLA OLUMIDE writes on some of the factors that can stop Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa ahead of the election. Aiyedatiwa is one of the top governorship aspirants of the ruling APC and the incumbent Governor of Ondo State. He is among the 26 aspirants jostling to pick the ticket of the APC ahead of the election.
Below is an X-ray of some of the factors that can stop Aiyedatiwa from another term in office as Ondo State Governor.
God
In Christianity and other monotheistic religions, God is defined by the dictionary as the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being. The Bible says God rules in the affairs of men. According to the Scriptures, He (God) sits in the throne of Heaven and does anything that pleases Him. God decides who gets what, and He is obviously the first factor that could stop the Governor.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The second factor is Senator Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria and National Leader of APC. Tinubu’s factor will influence the election, especially if interested in the primary and governorship election. While he (Tinubu) may probably stay aloof at the gubernatorial election for the electorate to decide, his interest will certainly influence the outcome of the APC primary. If Tinubu decides to have a choice apart from Aiyedatiwa, his preference may likely prevail at the primary.
Conspiracy theories of Jimoh Ibrahim and Olusola Oke
Gov Aiyedatiwa will have to contend with the conspiracy theories of the two strong men in his party, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and Chief Olusola Oke, both of whom are strong, connected, and influential. The conspiracy by the duo of Oke and Jimoh can stop the governor at the poll if he succeeds to picking the APC’s ticket. It was learnt recently that both men were behind the conspiracy theory and the decision of all the governorship spirants to accept the emergence of any one of them as candidate of the party apart from Aiyedatiwa. It is also public knowledge that all the aspirants have resolved to gang up against Aiyedatiwa at the poll should he clinch the ticket of the party.
The electorate in Ondo South
Like I wrote in one of my articles, it may be difficult for Governor Aiyedatiwa to convince the good people of Ondo South to elect him for a single term of four years in office.
The people of the southern part of Ondo State have been agitating to produce the Governor, it will be difficult to accept the candidature of Aiyedatiwa who can only rule for a single term of four years, especially when they can produce a governor that could rule for a two-term of eight years.
The Constitution of Nigeria and the new electoral law signed by former president Muhammadu Buhari says,” A person who was sworn in as Governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as Governor shall not be elected for such office for more than a single term”.
This is the new law. The APC delegates and the electorate in Ondo South will have to decide if they want a governor with a single term of four years or a governor with a two -term of eight years, especially now that the opposition PDP has also conceded its governorship ticket to the south which has now put the Ondo South electorate in a dilemma of choice.
The late Akeredolu’s factor
Members and leaders of the ruling APC who are core loyalists of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu are not in good terms with the Governor. Sources in their camp told Starnews NG that they have ruled out the possibility of supporting governor Aiyedatiwa both at the APC primary and during the governorship election.
The PDP
The PDP is also a factor that could stop the Governor. Currently, the APC in Ondo State has been factionalized . Even though he wins the ticket of his party, Governor Aiyedatiwa will have to contend with the opposition PDP at the poll. The PDP is currently understudying the heated tension in the ruling APC, and they seem to have put their house in order to reap from the APC looming crisis ahead of the election.
The PDP is likely to reap from the current division among the APC stakeholders. The current looming crisis will no doubt affect Aiyedatiwa if he wins the governorship ticket of the APC.
The House of Representatives Lawmakers are divided. Six out of the nine lawmakers are working against the governor. The two senators from Ondo North and Central are reportedly not on his side.
It was also learnt that Hon. Bunmi Tunji Ojo, the Interior Minister and Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of State for Youth are not supporting him. The Adetimehin-APC led executives in the state are also divided. Those loyal to the state chairman are supporting another aspirant of the party in their bid to end Aiyedatiwa’s tenure in 2025.
Similarly, the political conspiracy by all the APC governorship aspirants to work against the Governor in case he wins the ticket will also give the PDP an edge.
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