Ahead of the November 26, 2016 governorship election in Ondo State, a group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Ose Movement Forum (OMF) has called on the leadership of the party in the state to zone the governorship slot of the party to the Northern senatorial districts of the state.
The Movement who stated this in a communique issued by the member of the group after its meetings in Idogun in Ose local government area of the state, said that for equity, justice and fair play Ondo North senatorial district should produce the next governor.
The group specifically said the governorship slot should be conceded to aspirants from Ose local government saying the area has been marginalized in terms of elective posts since the return of this present political dispensation in 1999.
In the communiqué signed by Thompson Aiyegunle and Hon. Victor Olotu, Chairman and Secretary of the group respectively, the group said “for equity, justice and fair-play, we stand and add our voices to the call that it is the turn of Ondo North Senatorial district to produce the next Governor of Ondo State especially from Ose Local Government.
“This is on the grounds that the local government had obviously been marginalized in the political affairs of the state since the return to democracy in 1999 even when, by proof of statement of all past election results, Ose had consistently and steadfastly delivered for PDP, yet Ose had never been considered in history even within the Senatorial district for any of the five top positions which include, Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker, Chief Judge and SSG within the political equation of the state
“We therefore resolved to produce a credible candidate from Ose to fly the Party’s flag for the continuation of the laudable achievements of our leader and governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.”
The group which reaffirmed its commitment to the unity of the party urged the leadership of the party on the state to take appropriate steps in re- uniting all aggrieved members of the party saying that “aggrieved followers within our fold for a number of reasons are beginning to receive unsolicited romance from the opposition parties especially in the stronghold wards of PDP in the local government.”
The communique read in part “That the leaders of the PDP Ose Movement Forum will work with the leadership of our party at the state level to ensure that the party retains the seat of government with a mindset of having equitable share in the area of infrastructure, social amenities and political appointments accruable therein for achieving verifiable and measurable progress in growth and development for all our people in Ose Local Government ahead of the November 2016 elections.
“That PDP Ose Movement Forum observed that the rotation of the office of governor of Ondo State has completed its full circle round the three senatorial districts and it should naturally come back to the Northern senatorial district.
“This was in consideration of the facts that the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati from the Northern senatorial district was the governor for four years, between 1999 and 2003, followed by late Olusegun Agagu from the Southern senatorial district who ruled the state for six years, from 2003 to 2009 and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, from the Central senatorial district started ruling for eight years from 2009 to 2017”.
“That it is on the strength of the foregoing resolutions that the PDP Ose Movement Forum will continue to encourage the collaboration of all views among various divides within the local government while doing everything possible to allow for political inclusions aimed at winning the local government for PDP again in the forth coming gubernatorial elections.”
The OMF however called on the party executives in the state to put in place a strategic committee which will creating a platform/mechanism of achieving real inclusion and participation in the administration of the in-coming PDP led government saying “not just as a ready-voter local government but as an appreciable voter local government with equitable benefits to justify our loyalty and commitment to the course of PDP at all times.”