CHANGE HAS COME TO ONDO STATE.... AKEREDOLU "AKETI"

ONDO GOVERNOR-ELECT; AKETI

OLUWAROTIMI ODUNAYO AKEREDOLU; CHANGE HAS COME TO ONDO STATE.

Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, candidate of the APC for the 2016 governorship election has emerged winner and therefore, declared Governor-elect for Ondo State.

According to the Chief Returning Officer of INEC, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali,  the APC candidate polled 244, 842 votes to emerge winner ahead of the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede who garnered 150, 380 votes to come second.

Also, Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy came third with 126,889.

With this victory, Rotimi Akeredolu will by Feb. 2017 be sworn-in to take the mantle of leadership from Olusegun Mimiko.

Political pundits in the state had earlier positioned the candidates of the AD and that of the PDP as top dogs for the contest; although the PDP was embroiled in internal crisis which had completely destabilized the party at the helm of affairs in the state due to its factionalization, and had no true place for Akeredolu.

Some political analysts had posited that due to the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s preference for Chief Olusola Oke, candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, AD but internal rift and urge to demystify the personality of the former Lagos state governor which culminated in the decision to promote Akeredolu over Oke.

Olusola Oke, as can be recalled, was the National Legal Adviser of the PDP during the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration but decamped to the APC to join forces against his former party. While many had seen him as the candidate to beat, his political party; AD had issues of strength and consolidation, considering that the Asiwaju factor had swayed against him. This was the assessment of some stakeholders in Ondo state.

Also of prominent note was the fact that the President had personally visited Ondo state to campaign for the APC candidate, Aketi and with the Presidency showing its support for their choice, the AD and all other parties participating in the elections would definitely have it tough.

The people of Ondo state, according to pundits, have spoken as the people have acceded to the last minute call for everybody to support Aketi and vote APC.

Onibiyi Olarewanju, a social critic and public commentator based in Akure has however used this loss at the polls by the Tinubu camp to wake up to the realities on ground that, many of his former associates have purportedly become disenchanted with his decision to “pull away” from the APC. Therefore, as a group desirous of retaining its grip on the political sphere, it must move towards realignment with others, for a new platform and strength ahead of the major elections in 2019.

The Governor-elect has however, in his victory speech, expressed his gratitude to the National Leader of the APC and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari describing his victory as a victory for all the people of Ondo state irrespective of political affiliations. He equally thanked the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Chief John Odigie Oyegun who is facing tremendous challenges in his position as the national chairman.

“In this election, you have spoken with one voice….. Today, change has come to Ondo state”, Akeredolu stated.

Of great importance of note is the congratulatory message from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Rotimi Akeredolu for emerging victorious. This is also very important as it helps to strengthen our democracy. Despite poor turnout of electoral voters, it is pertinent to state that against permutations that the outcome of the elections could likely result in violence, the Ondo Governorship election was peaceful and devoid of the much expected outcome; violence.