By Adekola Afolabi
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Anxiety has gripped legislators in the Ondo State House of Assembly as the deadline for the submission of nomination for assembly seats inches to a close on Friday November 2, 2018.
Investigations by The Hope revealed that many of the lawmakers are tensed because they are not sure of their political future as the INEC deadline closes in 48 hours.
Some of the affected members who spoken on the condition of anonymity said they were palpably worried because no party official has spoke to assure them that all will be well.
Informed sources told The Hope that out of the 19 APC lawmakers in the assembly, only seven were said to have secured the party’s return tickets while the fate of the rest hangs in the balance.
As the anxiety deepens, some of the legislators were said to have mounted intensive lobbying on party chieftains at National and State levels to secure a place on the final list.
The Assembly presently has 26 members with PDP having seven.
A lawmaker from Akoko said all the assembly members were still lobbying to get the party’s return ticket because the coast is not clear on who and who are on the list for now until INEC releases its final list on Friday.
“My brother, nobody is even sure of the return ticket until INEC releases its final list, so that is why everybody is lobbying. But some of us who defected from the PDP and joined the APC felt that there should be reward for loyalty”, one of the lawmakers said.
The lawmakers also attributed the issue of the ticket to some of the reasons why the legislators could not resume full legislative activities for the past few weeks.
The seven lawmakers who got the party return tickets as at the last party primaries included the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun, representing Ifedore State constituency; his deputy, Rt. Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, representing Odigbo State constituency 1; the Parliamentary Secretary of the Assembly, Hon. Jamiu Maito, from Akoko North-West State constituency 1; and Hon. Sunday Olajide, Akure South State constituency 2.
The rest were Hon. (Prince) Abayomi Akinruntan, Ilaje State constituency 1; Hon. Felemu-Gudu Bankole, Akoko South-West State constituency 2 and Hon. Kuti Towase, Akoko South-East State Constituency.
