By: Oluwatosin Adesola
The immediate past Ondo state Governor and National Leader of the Zenith Labour Party, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has defended his decision for supporting the aspiration of the ZLP governorship candidate and Deputy Governor of the State, Agboola Ajayi, noting that he is only person among the leading candidates that can restore collapsed government’s programmes in the state.
Mimiko explained that if elected, Agboola has a capacity to return free healthcare, free education and urban development and support civil servants with housing and car loans.
Mimiko, who is the immediate past governor of the state, spoke yesterday in Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government area of the state, during the party’s launch of campaign for its candidate in the forthcoming October 10 governorship election.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and Eyitayo Jegede are the candidates of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party respectively in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The former governor described Agboola as the best candidate to deliver good governance to the people of the state.
The ex-governor also urged the electorate to collect the “stolen money” that some party had promised them and still vote for ZLP that would bring back good governance.
He urged the electorate not to fear or be intimidated by those threatening to unleash violence on the day of the election, saying, “we own this state together.”
Addressing the crowd at the event, Ajayi who was flanked by his running mate, Engr Gboye Adegbenro declared that he was more experienced than other candidates to govern the state.
Ajayi, who joined the ZLP and became the candidate of the party in August, said he was a grassroots politician and rose through the ranks before becoming the deputy governor of the state.
Ajayi said, “They said I am a neophyte in politics; they don’t know what they are saying. Though, they are SANs, I am the most experienced to be the governor of this state; I am more qualified than all of them.”
Ajayi pledged to reduce the tuition fees of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko to N50,000 and to bring back electricity to the communities in the Ondo South Senatorial District.
He also pledged to reform the state civil service if elected governor.
The National Chairman of the party, Mr Dan Iwuanyawu represented by the state Chairman of ZLP, Hon Joseph Akinlaja, asked the party supporters to go to their wards to work for the party’s victory.