BY DAYO JOHNSON
BARELY six months to the governorship election in Ondo State, political activities are in top gear as aspirants from three major political parties; the ruling Labour Party(LP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP)  have kick started political campaign to win the confidence of the electorates.

Currently there are no fewer than 34 candidates aspiring to occupy the Alagbaka government house, made up of 23 from ACN, about 10 from PDP and Mimiko with possibly another aspirant from the LP

Mimiko

There is blackmail and intrigues particularly evident between the ACN and LP which has been throwing brickbats at one another ahead of the October polls.

Kayode Akinmade, the current Information commissioner of the state summarises the development thus; “That’s the beauty of democracy. We hope all the parties will allow democracy to reign in the conduct of their primaries.

The Labour party is excited with political developments in the state and we are sure come October 20th, Ondo people will speak with one  voice by using their vote to elect their true leader who has been keeping to its electoral promises. We belive that at the appropriate time, the political equation will separate the pretenders from the real contenders.
WITH the sound of the whistle the warriors have rolled out their arsenal ready to fire from all cylinders. Across the parties the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; and the ruling Labour Party, LP, subtle political campaign have been going on with the parties working tirelessly to discredit one another.

In fact it’s like a war of posters by the aspirants in Akure, the state capital. This blackmail and intrigue is evident particularly between the ACN and LP which have been throwing brickbats at one another ahead of the October polls in the state.

Although, the incumbent governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has not publicly declared his intention to re-contest, his body language and utterances of his aides is an indication that he would want to seek a fresh mandate. Equally of note is the call from different quarters including the traditional rulers and stakeholders in the state that the governor should once again throw his hat in the ring.

While it is foreclosed that if eventually the governor seek for re-election he would be the sole candidate of the LP it is however a different kettle of fish in two other political parties that are out to dislodged the ruling LP.

The ACN as at today parades 23 aspirants eyeing the coveted of the governor of the Sunshine State. The PDP has for now less than ten. However, many of them are pretenders and not contenders that are ready to negotiate when the chips are down. The ACN which parades former chieftains of the ruling LP, including the former chairman of the party Dr. Olaiya Oni, wants to see to the eviction of Iroko in October. But if care is not taken the party may undo itself going by the unprecedented number of governorship aspirants it parades. Reports say that more aspirants are still gearing up and that the figure may hit 30 before the primaries of the party.

Those said to be serious in ACN with their aspirations according to political observers include Senator Ajayi Boroffice who left Labour Party because of his governorship ambition; a former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Olu Agunloye, former Senator Nimbe Farunkanmi, Chief Segun Abraham; former commissioner for finance in the state Tayo Alasoadura, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Jaiyeola Ajatta; former national president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Rotimi Akeredolu; the immediate past chairman of the party in the state Jumoke Anifowose; Human rights lawyer Tunji Abayomi, another former commissioners for finance Segun Ojo; a former chairman of ACN in the state Sola Iji and a former director of Trade Bank Jamiu Ekungba. Others according to a member of the state Executive would be ready to negotiate for other political positions such as commissioners and board chairmen.

A dependable source said that five of the aspirants have been pencilled down for consideration by leaders of the party. They include Segun Abraham, Rotimi Akeredolu, Olu Agunloye, Jaiyeola Ajatta and Boroffice. The party would, however, need the wisdom of Solomon to shed this weight which many believe may be the last straw of the party in the state. If it decides to zone the ticket the number of aspirants from the three senatorial areas is equally on the high side and the ripple effect may be unimaginable. But leaders of the party are of the view that the large number of aspirants is an indication of the acceptance of the party while many think otherwise.

Speaking with South West Forum the State Treasurer of the ACN, Chief Ade Adetimehin, said those expecting the party to disintegrate after the choice of its candidate would be surprised with the level of unity that would come with the selection of the candidate. To him the large number of people jostling for the ticket of the party was a sign that the people of the state had embraced the ACN as the only alternative to the ruling LP in the state.

The large number of aspirants in the party is understandable in the sense that since the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati from the North had ruled followed by Dr. Olusegun Agagu from the South and now Dr. Olusegun Mimiko from the Central it should automatically rotate back to the North hence the uncontrollable number of would be governors. The north consists of four councils in Akokoland and Owo/Ose. Adefarati was from Akoko and the Owo/Ose where Akeredolu, Anifowose and Ekungba hail from are arguing that it their turn to produce the governor.

Speculations were rife that leaders of the party led by the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu were yet to take keen interest in the different permutations on the governorship election in the state. It was learnt that they were pre-occupied with the coming election in Edo State. An inside source said that leaders have put in place an arrangement that would curtail the ripples that would occur at post primaries.

The PDP in the state seems to be jumping from one crisis to the other, having already become factionalised with two chieftains laying claims to the soul of the party. Reports had it that leaders of the party have surreptitiously been infiltrated by hawks in both the LP and ACN. But events in the last few weeks in the state indicate that peace is on the way and the party is ready to bounce back. Despite this some personalities have come out boldly to declare their intention to sack Iroko as the governor is fondly called in the politics of the state.

They include a 41 year old business mogul, Mr. Moyosola Niran-Oladunni; a former speaker of the State House of Assembly Hon Victor Olabimtan and a former Head of Service Comrade Alaba Isijola. The aspirants have started picking their Expression of Intent form from the Secretariat with Isijola being the first to do so.

Political equation

Reports had it that another business mogul Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim and the former National Legal Adviser of the party Chief Olusola Oke and the immediate past Defence Minister Prince Tokunbo Kayode SAN are still consulting and may join the fray. It is believed that the party ticket before now is between Isijola and Olabimtan but if Jimoh and Kayode eventually joins then the political equation in the party would change.

In the ruling LP the defection of its leaders to the ACN has greatly affected its rating in the state but its chieftains continued to described those that had left as good riddance to bad rubbish. Many believe that such bravado was to belittle the defection of the party leaders. Majority of those that left LP for the ACN: Ajayi Boroffice, Ifedayo Agunbiade, Saka Lawal, Omololu Maroyi and Wale Akinterinwa and others are all gunning for the seat of the governor. So they left because they could not wrestle the seat with the incumbent governor.

While the LP led government and the PDP are waiting in the wings to reap souls that may be aggrieved at the post primaries of the ACN, the chieftains of the party are saying the LP would not only wait in vain but also be disappointed because it would be rancour free. How that would be possible only time will tell.

If the PDP can get its act together and come out with a formidable candidate then the coming battle would be fought on a tripod but if not then it may be a straight fight between ACN led by Asiwaju Tinubu and the LP led by the Iroko who would give his all to fight this battle described by many of his aides as the “battle of his life “that would sign post his political relevance now and in the future. But as today in the state politics Iroko still holds the aces.