Ondo governorship: Over 200 support groups, NGOs merge for Aiyedatiwa
…set for mass rally in Akure
Dep Gov inaugurates Mandate Group, revs up campaigns
No fewer than 200 All Progressives Congress (APC) groups at the weekend merged in Akure, the Ondo State capital, in support of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
The groups, now under the aegis of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Support & NGO Group (LASUG), affirmed at a meeting in Akure that they had taken time to assess the governor within 10 months in office and found him reliable enough to totally transform Ondo State within four years.
Addressing members, the LASUG Convener, Chief Alex Ajipe, remarked with enthusiasm that despite that over 200 groups were officially registered, they were still counting in registration.
“This is a clear demonstration of the fact that Mr. Governor has been bending, working for the people, knowing full well that his ascension to the position of Governor is by divine design and he cannot afford to fail.
“What else can we say other than to look at several road projects, regular payment of wages to public workers and retirees alike, and financial grants of over N2bn to several residents of the state, among others?
“Indeed, according to the name of Mr. Governor, Ondo State is Lucky to make him continue the good works, from where our late former Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) stopped; thus bringing his unique ideas on board,” Ajipe applauded.
Complementing him, Co-convener for the new group, who is also the Convener for Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC), Dr. Dipo Okeyomi, said he was enthralled that Aiyedatiwa recently empowered “people who never dreamt of getting close to government, through political appointments.”
“What many people fail to realise is that the 344 appointees recently named are your nextdoor neighbours respectively; you can hold their collar regarding your needs; and for sure, your requests will get to the governor because they work with him.
“His stuff of inclusive governance is unprecedented in the history of Ondo State,” Okeyomi, popularly known as Carry Go, commended.
In his remarks, the Special Assistant to Ondo State Governor on Hausa Matters, Alhaji Gonia Garuba, conveyed the message of non-indigenes in the state, describing the tenure of Aiyedatiwa as soothing to all residents from other ethnic stocks.
“Here is a governor who cares for us as he does for the indigenes; so there is no going back,” Garuba, who is also the Chairman, Hausa-Arewa Group in Ondo State, enthused.
Already, the LASUG has concluded plans for a mass rally in Akure, for next week, to involve close to 300 support groups and NGOs drawn from the 18 local government areas of the State.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, has expressed optimism that the official inauguration of The Mandate Movement (TMM) in Ondo State will boost the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 governorship election in the state.
Adelami spoke at the official inauguration of the Ondo State Chapter of The Mandate Movement (TMM) and mobilisation campaign for the Governorship Election in the state held at the Ondo State Secretariat of the APC on Sunday.
He described the TMM as one of the strongest political movements in Nigeria today.
According to the Deputy Governor, the launch of the Ondo State chapter of the TMM has boosted the assurance that the APC in the state will come out victorious in the forthcoming governorship poll in the state.
He further expressed delight at the development, describing the event as a remarkable one for the ruling party and the people of Ondo State.
“Today is a remarkable day in the life of our state. TMM is the strongest political movement in Nigeria today. It has added more to our assurance that come November 16, victory is hundred per cent sure,” Adelami said.
The deputy Governor also said he’s enthusiastic about the ongoing campaigns by the APC candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, adding that his acceptability in all parts of the state visited so far had been overwhelming and encouraging.
He said, “Let me say a little about our campaigns. Everywhere we go, it’s always shout of “Odiroru, O datiwa!” The level of acceptability is marvelous.
“We’re expecting nothing less than 80 per cent of the votes come November 16.”
He also enjoined all APC members in the state to ensure a safekeeping of all their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) to enable them to cast their votes for Governor Aiyedatiwa on November 16, adding, “By the grace of God, by November 17, it shall be jubilation galore.”
Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of TMM, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, who went down memory lane on the formation of the group in Lagos many years back during the tenure of President Bola Tinubu as the governor of the state, noted the launch was being held in Ondo at this time to honour and contribute to Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the November 16 governorship election.
He said TMM’s mandate was to ensure the consolidation of the APC in all the states it’s currently controlling and the winning of the other states it’s not controlling at present.
Odunmbaku assured that the TMM would return to the state to fully join Governor Aiyedatiwa’s campaign tours.
Also speaking on the occasion, the State Chairman of the APC in Ondo State, Engr Ade Adetimehin, expressed the full support of the ruling party in the state for the TMM.
Adetimehin, who was represented by Chief Aro Bernard, assured the TMM leader that the APC in Ondo would win 85 per cent of the votes that will be cast in the November 16 governorship poll in the state.
Earlier, Ondo State Chairman of TMM, Bar Adejombo Omofunmilewa, assured that the over 300,000 members of the group would cast their votes for Governor Aiyedatiwa come November 16.
APC chieftains at the TMM inauguration include coordinators of the group in Lagos, who came in company with Cardinal Odunmbaku. Others are Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Kayode Ajulo, SAN; Chief Olugbenga Ale, Daisi Komolafe and a host of other party chieftains.