From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the November 26 poll, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN ) has promised to ensure that the Mother and Child hospital and Mega school projects, identified as some of the people-oriented programmes of the Dr Olusegun Mimiko- led administration are extended to the Senatorial districts that are yet to partake in the initiatives.
Speaking with newsmen in Akure yesterday, the PDP candidate said if elected as Governor, he will ensure the popular Mother and child hospital initiated by the incumbent government is built in all the Senatorial districts in the state in line with the focus of the government while initiating the programme.
He said schools that are yet to meet the standard of the Mimiko-led government’s initiated millennium compliant Mega schools in the state will be upgraded.
Relying on the experience he had acquired as part of the incumbent government for over seven years, Jegede said he is determined to make what he described as profound statements with governance.
According to the former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, his position as an integral part of the current government in the state has given him insight into what could be done to further raise the bar of governance beyond the high level the Dr Olusegun Mimiko government has driven it.
He said the challenges of the time demand that the best hand is engaged to address them, adding that he will rely on his understanding of the state and its people as well as his experience as part of the administration for over seven years to identify targets and drive same.
Insisting that legacies of previous governments in the state will be protected, the PDP candidate submitted that he will use the experience he acquired in government to pilot well the affairs of the state, even as he volunteered that he has perfected a blueprint for job creation and the growth of the state’s economy to the desired position.
“There is a very clear idea of what I want to do, I have a clear policy of what I want to do especially in the area of job creation and the economy” he maintained.
As Labour leaders back PDP candidate
Labour leaders in Ondo State have thrown their weight behind the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer in the election, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, (SAN). The labour leaders expressed confidence in the ability of Jegede to deliver on his electioneering campaign promises at a meeting the PDP standard-bearer held with Head Teachers across the state at the Labour House in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Present at the meeting were representatives of Head Teachers across the state who used the forum to reel out their expectations from the PDP candidate, if elected as Mimiko’s successor.
The state NLC Chairman, Comrade Bosede Daramola at the meeting explained that the school administrators came to the meeting on their volition because of the need to rub minds with Jegede on his
plans for the education sector.
The PDP candidate assured that recruitment of more teachers for all public schools across the state would be one of his priorities when elected into office, just as he added that non-mega schools would also be brought up to standard.
The governorship hopeful emphasized that a lot of plans have been laid out to sustain the gains of the Mimiko-led government in the education sector, adding that teachers form a very important strata of the state, hence the need to engage them on his plans to consolidate on the present gains including Mega Schools, free shuttle and more training for them among other incentives.
He disclosed that he was aware of some of the present challenges in the sector which he noted can be solved with their support when he assumed office as governor. The PDP candidate also announced plans being put in place to improve on the state’s economy to guarantee abundant job opportunities for the teeming youths, especially using the public private partnership model.
The state Commissioner for Education, Arch Jide Adejuyigbe and the state’s PDP Chairman, Engineer Clement Faboyede while speaking at the meeting said the future and wellbeing of teachers would be accorded recognition with Jegede as governor and urged them to help spread his enviable manifesto. Also present at the meeting were the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Chairman, Sunday Adeleye and the immediate past NUT Chairman, Ojo Fanimokun who submitted that the Head Teachers having been convinced that Jegede was the right man for the job, should take the message to their people across the state.
APC leader begs Tinubu
…Says we can’t win without your support
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator representing Ondo Central, Chief Tayo Alasoadura has appealed to the National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu to forgive the candidate of the party in the state, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, saying the APC cannot win the November 26 election in the state without the support of the former Lagos State governor.
He admonished Tinubu to put behind him acrimony of the last few weeks follwowing the controversial primary election that produced Rotimi Akeredolu as candidate and rally round the latter to ensure that the party wins the forthcoming election.
Addressing a press conference in Akure, Alasoadura who also contested the party’s governorship primary election said the support of Tinubu was highly needed now than before as the election draws nearer.
He acknowledged that Tinubu remains the leader of the party in the country, hence the need for him to do all within his capacity for the party to deliver the state.
According to him, “reflecting deeply on recent happenings within our party, we will see glaringly the extent to which we have embarrassed ourselves and equally brought our national leaders into ridicule as a result of our action and utterances in pursuance of personal ambitions.”
He said he would continue to appeal to aggrieved members and aspirants to come together and work for the party.
His words: “I strongly believe that there has not been a better time for the APC in Ondo State to harness its political strength, shift grounds to accommodate the differences of others for the purpose of giving to the people a good government they can trust.
“Now is the time to sink our differences and move forward as a united family to win in the November 26 governorship election by supporting the candidature of Barrister Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.”
Alasoadura further appealed to all the aspirants and party leaders in the state to embrace peace in order to win the election.
APC will overcome challenges – Akeredolu
…Youth wing rejects him
Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu has declared that the party would soon overcome its challenges. He also expressed assurance that the party would defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and all other parties that would be contesting the November 26, 2016 election in the state.
Addressing his supporters in Akure, Akeredolu said: “ Whatever the challenges, we shall overcome without any fear because of our belief and trust in God; we have character and integrity to bring good governance to Ondo State.
“ Ondo State APC delegates in their wisdom voted for me to become the candidate of our great party and by the grace of God, APC will win Ondo State in the governorship election.” He commended the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) for their steadfastness during the struggle, saying “ the ‘change’ has started in Ondo State.”
Meanwhile, some APC youth leaders across the state have expressed their displeasure over the alleged veto power of the National Chairman of the party to reject the position of the Electoral Appeal Committee which recommended the cancellation of the result of the primary.
This was contained in a communiqué signed by 13 out of 18 APC Youth leaders across the 18 local government areas of the stateb after their meeting in Akure.
At the meeting which was presided over by the state Deputy Youth Leader, Mr. Saheed Lateef, the APC youths insisted that the party’s governorship primary election was marred with irregularities, saying it was wrong for Oyegun to have overruled the recommendation of the appeal committee which had nullified Akeredolu as the candidate.
The communiqué reads in part: “We are surprised when we learnt that the National Chairman overruled the majority of the National Working Committee who had voted in support of the recommendations of the Appeal Committee.”
In their demands, the youths said: “The NWC of the party
should as a matter of principle and ethos of our party uphold the
recommendations of the Appeal Panel which affirmed that there was
corruption in the process of the primary election of 3rd September,
2016.
“We believe in the anti-corruption crusade of President
Muhammadu Buhari and same should be extended to the internal
arrangement of our party.
“Our position is not against any individual but against the
process. Our position is reinforced by our commitment to the
principle of democracy; minority cannot overrule the majority.”
