…Says dropping President Tinubu’s name sign of failure
From Idu Jude Abuja
As aspirants warm up for the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election to be held next month, party chieftain, Dr. Garus Gololo, has warned voters and indigent people of the state to be wary of the intense ongoing and intense lobbying by the major contenders eyeing the seat.
Gololo told Sunday Sun over the weekend in Abuja that the days of mediocrity in politics were gone with glaring evidence of plethora of poor performances among state governors.
The former member of the Board of Trustees further admonished the people on the danger of voting mediocres and pretenders, and urged them to channel their vote to the siting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his Deputy Olayide Adelami, whom the people have seen their handworks recently.
He said that the duo had become most experienced on the job owing to their years of involvement in public administration.
He said: “I can tell you this as a party chieftain, I know both of them deep down. The Governor was once a Deputy to late Barrister Akeredolu while the current Deputy is a former Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives. Can’t you see that these two are seasoned administrators?
“I am not sure that many who are jostling to become governor of the state have what it takes to exploit the natural and human resources in the state to empower the people, if not the present Governor and his Deputy. I am not from their state, I am a Fulani man from Bauchi State but like I said the days of mediocrity in our party is gone. It is time for the APC to show that it is a party that people could trust both at the national, states or local government levels”
Gololo observed that what is paramount is to harness the huge natural resources that abound in the state, which needs some people with good administrative abilities.
He said that Ondo State as an oil producing state, time had become ripe for huge infrastructural development across the state.
“We have seen the abilities and capacities of those who are vying for the seat. We have seen how they mismanaged their own firms and companies in Abuja and other states, including being unable to pay staff salaries with moribund companies. And that is exactly how they would kill industries in Ondo State and may be selling the state to the highest bidders. The state is known to be a home for untapped bitumen, oil and gas, farm produce, fishery and palm oil.”
He said people should beware of those who drop the name of President Bola Tinubu, claiming to have gotten his endorsement as the preferred candidate as such remains a hoax.
Meanwhile, Sunday Sun gathered that the permutation of who would be supported by President Bola Tinubu has become a daily meditation to lobbyists.
The major contenders in the party, according to political forecasts include, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Olusola Oke, Isaac Kekemeke, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Wale Akinterinwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Gbenga Edema, Dr. Paul Akintelure, and Hon Jimi Odumayo are said to all have their ambitions endorsed by Aso Rock Villa
Aspirants have made overtures to the First Lady, Remi Tinubu and the President’s daughter, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, national leader of Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti as well as the Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee of the APC.
Meanwhile, Jimoh Ibrahim was mentioned to be enjoying his relationship with President Bola Tinubu. The governor, Aiyedatiwa is keeping faith on the support he had enjoyed from Ganduje during the impeachment imbroglio.
It was also obtained that the party’s National Chairman and former governor of Kano State Umaru Ganduje has pointedly told name droppers that the final decision on who the party would support lies in the people not the President as was being speculated.
Ganduje was reported to have said: “People should prepare to lead the people based on their capabilities not endorsement by Mr President. Our party is growing above mediocrity and we have to make it clear that contenders should seek votes from their people. That is how grassroot politics works and not to go to the campaign ground and tell the people that Mr. President has endorsed him or her. I think that is another way of intimidation.”
The party leadership was also said to have reiterated that the Presidency may the need to support a candidate who “embodies the party’s values and can bring all factions together.”