As Ondo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, prepares for its imminent gubernatorial primary election, a chieftain of the party and forefront aspirant, Chief Alexander Olusola Oke, SAN, has declared that his experience in the various facets of governance puts him ahead of other persons jostling for the party’s ticket in April.
Oke made the declaration, Saturday, during a chat with journalists in Akure, Ondo State Capital, on sundry political issues relating to the forthcoming intra and inter-party elections in the State, holding in April and November respectively.
His words: “There are three fundamental considerations for defining a politician. These are experiences in the legislative business, in party administration and in executive positions. I have attained these feats.
“I have been a law maker at the highest level. I have been a party administrator at the ward level, local government level, state level and at the national level. I have also occupied several executive positions in government.
“Given my vast experiences in the various facets, it is easy for me, for instance, to take care of party members and leaders; to run a party fairly and seamlessly while carrying along all critical stakeholders. It makes it easy for me to be able to relate agreeably with law makers in the State having been a law maker at the national level.
“Because I have also occupied several executive positions also, it makes it easy for me to hit the ground running as soon as I take over the reigns of office as governor of the State. I am not one to begin to learn on the job.”
Commenting on the possible ways of remedying the socioeconomic challenges confronting the State, Chief Oke said he understands the peculiar needs of the state and her people and that he has what it takes to make visible difference by placing the State on the path of prosperity.
“I have lived all my life in this State. In my 67 years of existence, nearing 68, I have never been away from Ondo State for one year. That means I have been part of the suffering of the people. Being a victim myself, it means I know where the shoe pinches, and I must concede that I have the right ideas as to how to provide solutions to the challenges.
“In the course of my political participations, I have toured the entire communities in Ondo State for almost seven times. I participated in the campaign of Olomilua during the days of SDP, not in the manner we do it these days by visiting only the local government headquarters. We were going to every community no matter how distant, detached, remote or rural.
“It was in the course of touring Ondo State that I realised that there are certain locations in the northern part that we cannot access unless you first go to Ekiti before you come in. It was in the course of touring the State that there are communities in Ondo East, in the central senatorial district, that you cannot access unless you first go to Osun State before you can get in there.
“Agagu against Adefarati, which Adefarati won, I went round as Chairman of the State Campaign Committee; and Agagu against Mimiko, which Agagu lost in court, I also toured the entire State as Chairman of the State Campaign Committee.
“As a gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, I went round the State; I also toured the State as candidate of AD. And contesting against Akeredolu at the intra party level, I also toured the State. So, I am familiar with the good, the bad and the ugly as far as Ondo State is concerned,” he said.
