Ondo 2016: Oke flags off campaign as AD resolves crisis

As the countdown to the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State begins, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the state on Monday flagged off it’s campaign,  with the national  leadership stating the crisis in the party over the its standardbearer, chief Oluwole Oke, has been resolved.

Speaking during the rally,  the national legal adviser of the party, Kehinde Aworele, who headed to court challenging the emergence of Oke and his deputy, Ganny  Dauda,  told the people of the state that the suit  would be withdrawn

“There was a court action based on the  misunderstanding on the appropriateness of Chief Olusola Oke’s emergence, because his victory is sure we don’t want some people to go to court after his victory to challenge him.

“This was why I was in court. And the fact that I am here addressing this mammoth crowd today shows that there is no more crisis in the party; no cracks within the party; we are one indivisible party.

“There are several means of getting a case out of court; by abandonment; by withdrawal and by discontinuance. There is no more case in court, as we have resolved the issues raised and I can assure you that Olusola Oke will be the next governor of this state.

“Oke means mountain in the Yoruba language. Like his name, he is on top. Ondo State will be on top. Yorubaland is on top. No matter how tall an Iroko tress may be, it cannot be taller than the mountain, Olusola Oke is on top and he will win, “ he told the elated crowd who thronged the Democracy Park venue of the rally.

The National leader of the party, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, described Oke as the inheritors of the Awolowo legacy,  nothing that when he is elected as the governor of the state,  Ondo State will rise again.

He explained that the state had been in the wilderness for the past 13 years after the administration of the former AD Governor, late chief Adebayo  Adefarati but that said the party had come back from its recess to rebuild the state.

Akinfenwa noted that the two other parties contesting in the governorship race were swimming in crisis and controversy and solicited for the support of the people by voting for Oke and AD in the election.

He said “For 14 years, we have been in the wilderness; now, it has pleased God to give us a leader that is capable of putting Ondo back on tracks.

“If you look at the PDP, it is full of crises; people deceive people, they are at each other’s throats. The APC too is not faring better. They are an amalgam of strange bed fellows, who cannot deliver on their promises. But, we are happy today that the party of Papa Obafemi Awolowo; that of Papa Adekunle Ajasin, and Papa Adebayo Adefarati is here and I want you all to vote for the AD.

“If you vote for Oke, he will replicate all those good programmers of old, he will revamp our education, bring back the revival of our agricultural sector, education shall also be brought back to reckoning,”

Earlier, the AD national chairman,  Joseph Avazi, assured that the party was poised to form the next government given the spontaneous show of love for a party that merely came into reckoning in barely two months.

According to him, a new dawn is now breaking in Ondo and AD is set to bring back the lost glory of the Sunshine State. We have ruled this state before; this is our second coming, and we shall not disappoint you.

Speaking after receiving the party’s flag, Oke assured that under his watch, Ondo would be better and the people would thrive under his government, saying priority would be given to people-oriented projects.

He frowned at the campaign of calumny against him and the party. “Some people have been out on campaigns of calumny against me that I will abandon most of the projects I will meet on ground. I want to assure you all that we are not out to destroy whatever we meet but to build on whatever we meet on ground.

“Today, Ondo State is undergoing a difficult situation; all our industries are dead and there is want and abject poverty in the land

“The priority of my government shall be the good of the people of Ondo State. I greet our mothers, we shall ensure we give you life abundance; we shall give you money to trade. Our workers shall receive their salaries and other entitlements as at when due.

“Our youths shall be gainfully employed, as we shall wake up all our dead industries and make them functional again.

“I want our people to be wary of those who pelt you with hardship, yet ask you to vote for them. They can never give you good governors but hardship compounded.

“I will be in a hurry to deliver good governance; all our dead industries will be completed in a hurry. We shall all laugh and be glad that we voted the best party, AD, into power on November 26, 2016, “Oke assured.

He pledged to be dedicated to the people’s  welfare and accountable to the people at all times, but pleaded with them to ensure that they all come out on November 26, 2016 to vote for the AD.