Ayedatiwa: A Breath Of Fresh Air. Part II
About three months ago, I released the first part of this article which dwelt largely on the late governor of Ondo State Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, the present governor Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa and the politically savvy citizens of the Sunshine State.
I used the opportunity to admonish the people of Ondo State to forgive the cabals that hijacked power and almost paralysed the state while the duly elected governor was kept incommunicado by his “abductors” due to a prolonged debilitating leukaemia disease!
That late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu also known as Aketi was loved by the people is an understatement. He was venerated. And he will continue to live on in the hearts of the people he once governed to the best of his ability.
Aketi was not a man given to pettiness nor frivolity. He displayed these character traits in the choice of his running mates both in the first and second-term gubernatorial electioneering processes.
However, due to some clandestine political shenanigans within the camp of Agboola Ajayi as deputy governor, Aketi dispensed of him ignominiously.
You all know the story.
Then came Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa after a thorough and painstaking head-hunting exercise.
The respect, love and hope that Aketi had in Ayedatiwa as partner for the second term assignment in office as governor was made open during the swearing-in ceremony of the duo for the second leg of the regime.
The unfortunate ill health of the governor towards the end of his second term in office was capitalized on by some elements in power to rewrite the complimentary narratives Aketi had for Ayedatiwa.
Ayedatiwa like the former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan won both the political battle and war waged to stop him from succeeding his late principal.
On the 20th of April, 2024 the All Progressive Congress (APC) Party faithful trooped out in the 203 Wards of Ondo State to elect Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa out of 15 or 16 other gubernatorial aspirants. The Party adopted a Direct Mode of Primaries.
Although the results of that APC Primary elections are still being contested, the Party has since handed Certificate of Return to Ayedatiwa as it’s flag bearer in the forthcoming election in November, 2024.
Other Political Parties in Ondo State have also picked their gubernatorial candidates.
Some of these Political Parties include: YPP (John Otitoju), PDP (Alfred Agboola Ajayi) and ADP (Emmanuel Ayodeji).
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had a seemingly rancour-free Indirect Primaries at The Event Centre (Dome), Akure on 25th of April, 2024 which produced a former deputy governor and a decampee from APC.
All over the world, it’s not unexpected that the primaries of a political party in power will always be tension-soaked and rancorous. It’s proper management of conflict that promote growth and not conflict avoidance.
The silence of the grave recorded in the camp of some other political parties in the state after their primaries could be bad omens.
Unlike the candidates of the opposition parties, Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa come with very rich resume and an unparalleled cognate experience on the job.
He will not waste public funds trying to learn on the job.
And like former president Jonathan, Ayedatiwa comes with a large heart enough to accommodate all Ondo State indigenes across political party lines.
A politician with a fresh breath of air, Ayedatiwa in the last 100 days or more in office as governor has demonstrated that he is for everybody and that everybody are for him.
He listen well, talk less and act more.
Such a man that destiny has place upon his shoulder the audacious responsibility of leading Ondo State is a complete gentleman whose only focus is to serve humanity and God.
Ondo State should be wary of candidates with Absalomic Mentality.
Candidates that are desperate to be “king” like Absalom in the Bible.
Candidates who hop from one political platform to another all in a bid to grab power are dangerous and disastrous. The people should reject such candidates and their political parties.
Ondo State is on the march again. The body language of those in power at the centre is suggestive of the fact that the incumbent governor of the state should continue in office.
With Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa in office as governor for another four years by the grace of the votes of the majority of the people in November, 2024 more roads will be tarred, the Light Up Ondo project will continue, drinkable water will be channelled into communities, new schools will spring up, especially in the rural areas, employment of teachers and health workers will be a priority, farmers will return to farms with improved security of lives and properties, salaries and pensions as at when due, improvement of the state’s economy via the deep sea port and polititical stability in the state.
To be continued…
Sam Aroge write in from Akure, Ondo State.
He can be reached via 07012376552
