Written By Tajudeen Adefisoye (Small Alhaji)
The Ondo State gubernatorial primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is only few days away. In all, 16 aspirants have obtained and submitted their nomination and expression of interest forms to the national secretariat of APC. All the aspirants have also undergone screening and cleared by the Screening Committee set up by national leadership of the APC.
While some of the aspirants have been campaigning vigorously across the length and breath Ondo State; few of the aspirants are simply waiting for the Goddot by expecting that President Tinubu, who is also the national leader of APC will magically make them the party’s candidate.
However, as competitive as the APC gubernatorial primary election may appears, the outcome can easily be predicted. The forthcoming primary election is interestingly one in which true aspirants and not pretenders are leaving nothing to chance. Some of the serious aspirants had already visited wards and local government areas of the Sunshine State; while some a re still campaigning and consulting..
Meanwhile, the leading aspirant, who is also the sitting governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa evidently stands head and shoulder above other aspirants. Aside his record of performance, uniquely inspiring leadership style and qualities; the people of Ondo State genuinely love Aiyedatiwa and want him to continue in office, beyond 2025.
The name of Aiyedatiwa is undoubtedly synonymous with performance, empathy and good governance in all parts of Ondo State. The mindset of an average Ondo State resident is that APC is certain to continue in office, once Aiyedatiwa emerges as the party’s candidate. Vast majority of Ondo residents believe that the APC primary election will be a walk over for Aiyedatiwa because of his unmatched popularity in the Sunshine State.
Campaign tours of Governor Aiyedatiwa to all Local government areas of Ondo State have provided avenues for the people of Ondo State to show their love and support to the people’s governor.
The campaign venues of Aiyedatiwa across Ondo State are always over flooded by APC members and supporters of the governor. The people of Ondo State have thus far showed organic love and support for Aiyedatiwa, who is obviously their choice.
Interestingly, members of the opposition parties in Ondo State are already craving for the candidacy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The general belief across Ondo State is that the November 2024 governorship election will surely be a walk over for Governor Aiyedatiwa once he emerges as the candidate of APC.
Encouragingly, people of Ondo State are already looking beyond the APC gubernatorial primary election as they have formed inter-party support groups and campaign platforms to ensure the victory of Aiyedatiwa in the November 2024 election.
It is more interesting however, that this will be the very first time in the political history of Ondo State that members of opposition political parties are routing and campaigning for an aspirant outside their political parties. The love for Governor Aiyedatiwa has become so overwhelming to a point that members of the opposition parties openly struggle for space at the campaign venues of the governor.
One name that is readily on the lips of the vast majority of Ondo State people is Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The campaign song composed for Governor Aiyedatiwa has even made the governor a lot more popular across Ondo State and even outside the Sunshine State.
The governor’s name has become infectiously popular to a point that he appears like the only aspirant contesting the APC governorship primary election.
As things stand in Ondo State today, this is one election that victory in the November 2024 governorship election appears already guaranteed for the APC, provided the people’s choice, Lucky Aiyedatiwa emerges as the ruling party’s candidate. More so, APC stands a doubly guaranteed chance of recording unprecedentedly overwhelming victory in the November 2024 with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the party’s candidate.
