Former governor of Ekiti State, Engineer Segun Oni, Monday returned his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the governorship election of the state slated for June 18, 2022.
Submitting them to the National Organizing Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Austin Akobundu, at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, he declared that he was back and better.
The gubernatorial aspirant noted that the return of the forms demonstrated his intent to contest and win the election, recalling that he had toed the path before and was, therefore, familiar with it.
He said: “This moment indeed marks another remarkable phase of our journey, demonstrating our intent and readiness to contest and win, and most importantly, our commitment to serving.
“We have been here before. It is a familiar path; a known terrain in which we made our mark and treated all and sundry with dignity, respect and honour. We brought value to governance and honour to lead.”
According to him, his administration brought honour to governance in Ekiti State through a people-driven administration, which he said could not be said to be the case now.
Oni stated: “Notwithstanding the distractions and cogs mounted to halt the wheel of our journey at the time, we made outstanding gains. Under our watch, Ekiti was a cynosure of good governance and efficient government.
“We worked very hard to propel Ekiti to live up true to its motto as the fountain of knowledge in Nigeria. We brought our state to national reckoning. Unfortunately, this may not be the case today.
“To the civil servants, farmers, traders, women, youth and people living with disabilities, our administration remains the best experience they have had in terms of a people-driven government, incorruptible leadership and open government. The good people of Ekiti State are still earnestly yearning for our return.”
While stressing that he led a people’s-driven government, the former governor remarked: “Our administration was the best example of a people-driven government. The good people of Ekiti are yearning for our return. We will cater for their needs, and no one will be left behind.
“We want to assure our people and our party that we are in this race to bring the promise of Ekiti to the people of Ekiti – the promise of a state where no one is left behind and in which we will seek the forgotten and cater to their needs. That is our covenant with the people.
“Our mantra has been fellowship building among party members since we started this journey. We introduced the PDP Family Initiative to bring all sides together under one big and purposeful umbrella.
“We want to assure our party that we will always work with all stakeholders and members. We have done so before and we will do it again and even better. It is a testament to who we are.
“Today, we make bold to say that ‘We Are Back and Even Better! The people are with us, so we are on course and ready! The Almighty God is our guide, in him is our Baptism of Courage. To everyone, we want to assure you that: We Are Ready; the People Are with Us; God Is on our help.”
Receiving the forms, Col. Akobundu, told the aspirant that the PDP was a much-changed party, which would guarantee a level playing field for all contestants, urging his supporters to support him all their hearts.
The National Organizing Secretary stated: “Let me remind our brother, the aspirant, that the party is running this important contest today is totally different from the party he contested the last time, The reason being that steadily, this party under our leadership embarked on reforms that would elevate the quality of services of this party principally by opening up the space, insisting on internal democracy and enforcing the policy of free, fair and transparent primaries.
“This, no doubt, places a huge burden on any aspirant because it simply means that, unlike those days, you have no business running around offices at the Wadata because nobody will help you here.
“Only the delegates will help you. As you drop your forms, we encourage you to go back home and don’t come back here again until you win or lose.
“We must put it that way because we know that our brother and friend is not the only aspirant in this race. Somebody will win and other people will lose.”
To Oni’s supporters, Akobundu counselled: “I will advise all of you that as you are supporting him, support him with all your hearts and put in the necessary hard work.
“One thing we are guaranteeing you is that the platform upon which this aspiration is founded is a solid one that will guarantee you free, fair and transparent primaries.
“On that note, I will like to congratulate His Excellency, Segun Oni and to assure him that the secretariat will have his back just as it will have the back of other aspirants to make sure that at the end of the day, whoever emerges will carry the others along and whoever loses will join the winner. What is important to us is the bigger picture which is for all of us to joyously occupy the Government House come 2022.”
Apart from Engineer Oni, other aspirants in the race for the PDP ticket are Ajijola Lateef Oladimeji, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, Albert Kayode and Aribisala Adewale, who is the incumbent National Treasurer of the PDP.
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