By Ayodele Fagbohun

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As electioneering for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo state come October 10, 2020 hots up it is not unusual or out of place for political gladiators to make assertions and claims on the rostrum or any forum in marketing their programmes to win the electorate over for eventual victory at the polls.
When some claims that are bogus, spurious and superfluous crafted in foul deceit, blackmail and flattery to hoodwink the gullible with a view to scoring cheap popularity; and to curry underserved favour with the people.
In all honesty, we shall be failing in our duty if we keep mum as silence does not always and necessarily mean consent and admission of half truth and downright mis-information freely bandied about over the years.
It is unfortunate that Mr Eyitayo Jegede, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) again cleverly and adroitly sold the wrong information to the public in his recent advertised radio interview.
Eyitayo Jegede, a senior advocate of Nigeria who hails from Akure, incidentally the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, on ultra-conservative right wing (Tory) political party.
Jegede claimed that Chief Rueben Famuyide Fasoranti, an Akure born politician conceded gubernatorial chair of Ondo state to Chief Adebayo Adefarati an Akoko born politician who in the ultimate emerged as the elected governor of the state in 1999 at the inception of this FOURTH REPUBLIC.
This according to Eyitayo Jegede, was to convince the other ethnic groups in the state that Akure people are hospitable and generous species of “homo sapiens” eager to trade off their political birthright on the mess of porridge.
Let me quickly correct the historical fallacies and distortion of facts due to the gross political miscalculation of some self-appointed power brokers in Akure politics out of their own wisdom or otherwise preferred the illusory office of presidency to Ondo state governorship slot rightly or by merit balanced to Akure speaking group.
How on earth could Fasoranti have conceded a rare and privileged opportunity to serve Ondo state having been in politics since the foundation and inaugural ceremonies of Awolowo led Action Group at Owo conference of April 28-29, 1951.
Chief Fasoranti began politics in earnest as councilor and chairman of Akure Divisional or District Council. He was violently rigged out of election to the Western Regional House of Assembly in Ibadan by the local and unprogressive clannish politics ranging fiercely in Akure in unholy alliance with the bellicose and belligerent activities of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe led NCNC in the nascent politics of Akure and its environs.
Eyitayo Jegede was only being naive for his sweeping claim. I won’t say it was mischief making borne out of ignorance and inexperience in the Akure politics riddled with plan clannishness and parochialism.
Jegede a formidable legal luminary but a political neophyte trying to find a sure footed place in the political arena which is fastly becoming messier by each passing day. He should watch out lest he falls victim of the similar political intrigues meted out to Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti (OFR) aptly described as the best governor Ondo state never had.
Having delved exhaustively into some extraneous issues that pushed Akure ethnic group to the background and failed to clinch the much coveted “golden fleece.”
According to Cassius in the Shakespearean Julius Caesar, “the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves that is our own characters.” In other words, we (the Akures) are under the control of others who influenced our political destiny either for good or for bad.
Again, I will quote from the Julius Caesar: “that the evils that men do live after them, the good interred in their bones.”
Ondo state remains the bastion of progressive and pragmatic politics in the country, thanks for the selfless and yeoman services of the first elected governor of the state, a former school principal and political activist, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin.
With fidelity and purposeful governance, Ajasin implemented the four cardinal programmes of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) namely the free education at all levels, free medical services for all, integrated rural development scheme and full and gainful employment.
The UPN administration inspite of the niggardly resources and funds at its disposal set up Owena bank, Confidence Insurance Company, Oluwa Glass Company at Igbokoda; Prime Metal Factory in Ondo town, Okiti-pupa oil palm farm, to generate massive employment and in the process improve cash flow to stimulate a depressed civil service economy which is the dismal lot of Ondo state since its creation in February 1976.
Chief Adebayo Adefarati, a lieutenant of Adekunle Ajasin, of the Alliance for Democracy/Afenifere was elected into office in the fourth republic to undo the monumental damage wrought by the previous military rule on the economy. Adefarati and his team continued with the good works of Ajasin to revive the economy and the enabling environment for free education and other people oriented programmes and policies of defunct UPN led administration.
Along the line, there was a break in transmission, rule and melancholic interruption in the harmonious rhythm when a barbaric operation do-or-die politics and the commando-like fashion the People’s Democratic Party led by President Obasanjo hijacked and rubbished the legitimate and performing government of the Alliance for Democracy/Afenifere in the south west.
While the Peoples Democratic Party as octopus imposed its far flung federal might on the South west, the people were denied free education and access to good governance. The national resources were apparently looted and stashed away into private hands. The government failed woefully to attend to the basic need of the people. Dr, Olusegun Agagu led PDP administration could have fared better since the late former university don was part of the government, indeed deputy governor in Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua led Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the aborted third republic.
Agagu’s administration was hamstrung as a result of the ubiquitous, profligate and debauched policies of the Peoples Democratic Party violently hijacked and bestially run by the moneyed ex-military officers who at various times presided over the liquidation of the national economy.
If not for the sudden and untimely death of the former governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu could have made history. He was about dumping the corrupt venal and licentious PDP when the cold hands of death snatched him from being welcome back to the progressive fold.
Under the watch of PDP led administrations especially the notorious regime of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, there was veiled massive looting of scarce resources accrued to the state to gratify personal enrichment and self perpetuation in government sine die.
Education our main industry was in comatose. For instance, Dr. Mimiko on the eve of his exit after eight (8) years rule which was unprecedented in the annals of Ondo state’s history. The outgoing governor deliberately created a landmine for this incoming present All Progressives’ Congress (APC) led by Arakunrin Odunayo Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to fall before taking an oath of office.
Governor Mimiko had surreptitiously increased the tuition fee of Adekunle Ajasin University from N25,000 to upwards N80,000 depending on courses prior to that, his junior brother Professor Femi Mimiko, Vice Chancellor of the institution could say with precision and exactitude whether the citadel of learning supposed to be self financing met its financial, social and academic obligations to the staff, students and other stakeholders of the university.
In a nutshell, AAU, Akungba Akoko under PDP led administration was underfunded. Some programmes like pre-degree were put on hold which could have boosted the internally generated revenue and sustained the university.
Besides, Ondo state indebted to the tune of more than N250 million as revealed and reiterated by the former public relations officers of APC, Ondo state chapter, Prince Abayomi Adesanya. The figure was confirmed by the state governor, Arakunrin himself. This should serve as a tip on the iceberg for the candidacy of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP.
He should have cleared the proverbial log in his eyes to see clearly and remove the specks on the eyes of the people he wants to serve.
I won’t call Eyitayo Jegede the political stooge of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. But I prefer to call him acolyte. He served his political tutelage under his feet as Attorney-General and state commissioner for justice and political errand boy of former president, Atiku Abubakar.
The foregoing are not favourable credentials to enhance the political fortune of Mr Jegede to succeed APC led administration whose welfarist policies to serve the best interests of the common people is second to none.
Free education is a desideratum and inalienable fundamental right of the people which any government worths its salt must accord a pride of place to revolutionize goods governance within the orbit of enlightened nations.
Free education at all levels was not a novelty in Ondo state. The UPN administration started that quiet revolution in October 1979. It ran its full course before it was rudely terminated by the military incursion into our civilian administration courtesy of Major General Mohammadu Buhari/Idi Agbon Military putsch on December 31, 1983.
The APC led administration will definitely and doggedly toe line of its forebears to improve upon on the legacy of free education and other welfarist programmes in Ondo state if given another opportunity to rule again.
Once beaten, twice shy. Look! the PDP is merely promising as it were, affordable school fees. The promise is vague, tenuous and spasmodic. In its giddy days, PDP, it must not be forgotten in a hurry, mishandled education sector in the state despite access to better financial resources than now.
This is an eloquent testimony that PDP is neither a credible option nor alternative in the quest for good governance.
Come October 10, the electorate should avoid PDP like a vermin for failing to tender apology and show remorse to the people for 16 years of gargantuan misrule riddled with institutionalized corruption, political gangsterism, intransigence and impunity.
Ondo electorate should reject PDP overwhelmingly having no concise plan for education which is the main industry in the state. PDP should be rejected convincingly at the polls for insulting the intelligence of the people by soliciting for their votes? How dare an unorganized and crisis ridden political party like PDP is contemplate to reap where it does not sow?