From today, Saturday, October 12, 2024, it will be 36 days to November 16, 2024. That is about 5 weeks away from governorship election in Ondo State. All preparations that are needful for a successful election are going on. Today, the All Progressives Congress, APC will flag off its open campaign that will take the party members round the 203 political wards in the state.
Members of APC campaign council ably led by a federal lawmaker, Hon. Abiola Makinde were also inaugurated on Thursday 10th October, 2024
Expectedly, the gubernatorial candidate, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa will reel off the party’s road map to progress at the flag off of the open campaign billed for Ondo city today. With these, the ball has been set rolling!
Electorate in Ondo State now have another opportunity to elect who governs them till 2029. Candidates of other 16 political parties are slugging it out with the incumbent Governor, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Oyedatiwa.
All the candidates on the Ballot for 2024 election are quite strong and formidable, but out of all of them, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is simply the best choice.
Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, born on 12 January 1965 is a businessman and astute politician. He previously served as deputy governor of Ondo State from 2021 to 2023 under his late boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN (Aketi) . He is a former commissioner of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Aside the very high qualities of Lucky, which have made him incompatible to his opponents, the high flying credentials, attainments, track records and achievements will contribute maximally to the outcome of the gubernatorial election which no doubt will go the way of APC and the Obe-nla Prince.
Lucky stands a good chance having performed excellently, in the estimation of many – public opinion is an attestation. The people of the Sunshine State are beginning to feel the positive impacts of his administration in all ramifications –
Governor Aiyedatiwa has earned himself the title of a workers-friendly governor due to the priority accorded the welfare of civil and public servants in the State. The Aiyedatiwa administration in January paid the January 2017 salary arrears owed to the Civil Servants and in March he paid three months’ salary arrears of the staff of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo. This came just two months after he approved the release of N850million to the institution to shore up its subvention. The administration has also emplaced a culture of prompt payment of salaries and promotion as and when due.
He has also be paying monthly wage award to public servants religiously to cushion economic hardship in the country. Aside regular payment of pension, the government also pays N10, 000 wage award to all categories of pensioners in the State. In the same vein, over ₦3.2billion has been disbursed for the payment of gratuity in the last four months.
The education sector is witnessing a rejuvenation with the recruitment of no fewer than two thousand teachers into public schools to address shortage of teachers. Also, the State Government released the sum of five hundred and fifty million (N550,000,000) for the payment of 2024 WAEC fees for students in the public secondary schools to alleviate the financial burden of parents and guardians.
Aiyedatiwa also approved ₦3.5bn for rehabilitation and construction of public schools in the State.
The free shuttle school buses and boats for school pupils are also running across the State. Tertiary institutions are not left out too as the Governor recently approved N1billion for the construction of a new Senate Building for the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and another N1.2billion for the completion of abandoned projects at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.
The Aiyedatiwa administration has made the provision of infrastructure and social amenities a priority. When he came on board, the Governor ordered all contractors back to sites while also ensuring that they are paid according to the stages of work done. Those road projects now getting attention include Oda road dualisation, Ijoka road dualization and the Irese/Shagari Flyover in Akure, Owo dualization, Igoba road construction among others.
In addition, the Governor, in February, flagged off construction of rural roads across the State to help farmers with easy transportation of their farm produce to towns and cities. The first phase of the project cuts across the three senatorial districts of the State at Oda-Cocoa Board-Langbodo in Akure South LG in the Central; Ode-Omi-Ebute Iyara in Irele LGA for the South and Ifira Akoko-Afo in Akoko South East LG for the North. This is just as the Ministry of Infrastructure has flagged off operation zero potholes on major roads in the State. Also, there is ongoing rehabilitation of 60km selected roads with asphalt-overlay across the State.
The first phase of the Light Up Akure project has already taken off as major roads in the State capital now illuminated at night. The Governor is also working hard to restore Akure, the State capital, to its old status as one of the cleanest state capitals in Nigeria. Towards this end, the newly launched Operation Keep Ondo Clean initiative has recorded significant improvement in the waste management in the State in general and the State capital in particular. The Operation Flush initiative is also being rebranded, ensuring channelization is carried out well ahead of raining season to prevent incessant flooding.
While the Governor is promoting the welfare of workers, he is also focusing his attention on providing employment opportunities for the teeming young people in the State. In February, the Governor approved the release of employment letters to 165 newly recruited staff of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS). About 100 health workers were also recruited by the Civil Service Commission while the process is currently ongoing to recruit additional 600 health workers.
In the face of challenging economy, the administration continues to increase human capital of its citizens, steadfastly running the race to make Akure the tech capital of Nigeria. The government this year began equipping its youths with the necessary skills to thrive in evolving landscape. The governor last month Awarded N60m grant, business support packages to 20 most innovative entrepreneurs in the state.
The icing on the cake is that virtually all the political juggernauts in Ondo State who dictate the pace in the various political parties in the time past have now congregated in APC and are working assiduously for the party to win the 2024 election – APC is going into the election united unlike them. Without any hallucination, all of these would no doubt advance the vote of the great Prince.
The situation as it presents itself in Ondo State is clearly a walkover for the APC, and of course the very irrepressible and merit award winning Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. By implication, the election of Aiyedatiwa is signed, zealed and will be delivered.
Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has been adjudged to have used proficiently the last nine months he has held sway to transform the state. The superlative performance of Aiyedatiwa has bolstered the rating of APC and Ondo State. All hands must therefore be on deck by every patriotic indigene of the state to mobilise support and secure massive votes for this hardworking, resourceful, goal getter, development administrator and peoples’ leader.
In my opinion, the status quo ante should be maintained in Ondo State so that the enviable position of the state could be consolidated and its development enhanced. Impliedly, the good people of Ondo State should continue to support Aiyedatiwa.
What we had seen in the last nine months is a tip of the iceberg. The caledarised manifesto for the next four years will no doubt have more positive impacts on the citizenry.
Luckily for Lucky as highlighted before, God has endowed him with able colleagues, comrades and lieutenants.
On November 16, 2024, as we go to the poll, cast your vote for Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to continue his good works. There is no need to change a winning team!
We are lucky, Aiye ti datiwa londo!!!
Kikelomo Isijola is the Special Assistant to Ondo State Governor on Digital Media
