Ondo 2024: Pick candidate from core South, APC group tells party leader

A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo Rennaisance Group (ORG) has cautioned major stakeholders in the party not to give the governorship ticket to a particular local government, which it considers minority in Southern Senatorial District.

The group said its decision is about ensuring that the nominee is someone who can appeal to a broad range of voters in the six local government areas of Ondo South senatorial district.

The coordinator of the group, Samson Omogbein, in a statement in Akure, said the inhabitants of Ilaje, Ese Odo, Irele, Okitipupa, and Odigbo, see them as minority, whose culture and geographical location relates to that of Ondo Kingdom.

His words; “What we are saying in essence is that the party should not waste the ticket. The Ikales and Ilajes accounts for 90% of the population of Ondo South who are mostly known for their unique traditions, language, customs and values”

Omogbein said despite the fact that Ile Oluji/ Oke Igbo local council areas are geographically and culturally situated within Ondo-speaking area, it was ceded to Ondo South senatorial district for administrative convenience.

He said a candidate picked from the axis won’t appeal to our people in the core south, especially if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fields a candidate from any of the core South South

The PDP will pick a candidate from the core South as well, any attempt for us to pick from Ile Oluji will spell doom for the party.

“What we are saying is that if APC pick a candidate from there and present it to us in the South, it would be seen as a sign of weakness, and would alienate voters from other parts of the southern region. In that case, the best strategy for the APC would be to pick a candidate from one of the other local governments in the southern part of Ondo.

“We don’t want to start losing at home on election day”.