PDP’s Governorship Candidate Warns APC against Repeating Edo’s ‘Sham Election’ in Ondo

Dike Onwuamaeze

The governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Agboola Alfred Ajayi, has warned that electoral perversities that were carried out in Edo State by the All Progressive Congress (APC) would not be attempted in Ondo State on November 16.
Ajayi gave this warning during the weekend in a speech he delivered during a media parley in Lagos to acquaint the press with the programmes that the PDP administration would put in place to rescue Ondo State from the eclipse it has undergone in the last agonising eight years under the APC government if he is elected to govern the state.

He said: “Let me sound this note of warning that the shenanigans performed in Edo State by the APC should not be repeated in Ondo State.
“Ondo State people from North to Central and South Senatorial Districts will never allow this type of electoral robbery. The APC-led government should not take Ondo State people for granted.
“Our people will resist any threat, manipulation, official collusion and conspiracy that will foist the maladministration of Mr. Lucky Ayedatiwa on them.”

Ajayi reminded those who are planning to commit electoral fraud in Ondo State to think twice, saying that they should go back to the state’s recent history and learn from what happened in 1983.
He said: “Our people have put the sad events behind them: the APC led administration should allow the sleeping dog to lie. A word is enough for the wise.
“It is in view of the above, that I have carefully (and in company of my team) thought out seven areas where I will intervene to curb these myriads of avoidable problems foisted on the “Sunshine State” in the last eight years.

“My vision is to transform Ondo State into a beacon of sustainable economic development, where modern infrastructure, efficient transportation, vibrant marine and blue economy, striving agriculture, robust industrialisation, quality education, affordable health care, comprehensive human development, adequate security, and other components of fundamental objectives and direct principles of state policy as captured in the 1999 Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) will be strictly adhered to and fully implemented  for the prosperity of our people.
“It is, therefore, my mission to harness the state human and material resources to actualise this vision and thereby rescue and redeem the people of the ‘Sunshine State’ from the shackles of poverty, oppression, deprivation and insecurity and set them on the path of sustainable development so that the sun will shine again in the state.”
His seven-point agenda for the transformation of the state, include security, agriculture, education, health and infrastructure, industry and marine economic development.

Others are rural development and environment as well as youth, sport, social, women development and civil service.  
Ajayi declared that his primary objective for running for the office of the state governor is to guarantee the safety and welfare of the people.
He said: “Any political party that deviates from this avowed principle of governance will definitely get it wrong and become a liability on the people.

“The APC-led administration in Ondo State has, over the past eight years, foisted mal-administration and poverty on the people of the state by reason of the incompetence, lack of foresight, corruption and lack of defined policy for good governance.”
He, therefore, emphasised that the November 16 governorship election in the state is a call for serious consideration as this would determine, shape or mar the fortune of the state in the next four years.  
Ajayi also vowed that the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) should be restored to its core mandate to meet the expectations of oil producing communities in the state.

 He said that his administration would “ensure that of the 13 per cent derivation funds accruable to Ondo State, 40 per cent of the fund is paid to OSOPADEC to perform its core mandate in line with the enabling law.
“The Head Office of OSOPADEC will be relocated to the headquarters (Igbokoda), in Ilaje Local Government Area.
“My administration will grant full autonomy to local government areas both in finance and governance.”