Ondo bye election: Group tasks APC stakeholders on teamwork

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A socio-political group, under the aegis of Progressive Change Initiative for Good Governance, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders and leaders in the Ondo state, to work as a team to ensure victory in the forthcoming bye-election in Akoko North West/ North East Federal Constituency.

The seat of the federal constituency became vacant following the resignation of the former elected representative of the constituency, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was appointed as the Minister for Interior by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during a press conference, the spokesperson of the group, Gbenga Lawal, called on the leaders of the party in the Ondo North senatorial district to support a candidate acceptable to members of the party to represent the area in the House of Representatives.

He stressed the need to address the choice of picking a candidate to replace Hon. Tunji Ojo in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly, while the issue bothering on which local government to represent the area should be resolved before the bye-election.

The group maintained that a responsible candidate who commands clout of respect, credibility and general acceptability must be picked as the party’s candidate to give the people of the area a quality representation.

He said; “The mandate of the most popular political party in Nigeria, APC, in the state and Ondo North political trajectory will not be written in gold without the giant success strides of political victory in the bye election of the House of Representatives scheduled to hold later in 2023.

“The incumbent party victory can only be attained when a right candidate is democratically and politically supported with high stakes of grass root politicking and popularity that cut across both local governments in the federal constituency of Ondo North”

Lawal said “It will be a political incineration and political calamity to wheel the seat of the next House of Representatives member in the primary of the APC within the same ward and sister ward, which comprises Okeagbe and Oyin given the fact that the immediate past lawmaker, Tunji Ojo hails from the same community in Okeagbe and Oyin/ Oge wards.

“The political agitation and political sphere calls for the principle of equity, justice and fairness within the local government areas for proper transition of power towards and communities that have been neglected politically and sidelined in political representation and appointments.

“The overview decision and conclusion should solely be subjected to Ajowa, Igashi, Eriti, Gedegede ward 5 community stakeholders and political ward and their leaders saddled to take responsibility of producing an appropriate candidate for the election with Arigidi Akoko already having enjoyed the headquarters of the newly created LCDA in Akoko North West Constituency 1”

“The race to producing a candidate and winning the bye election should be a collective decision of the entire Federal Constituency and all political associates and electorates in ensuring that power remains in Akoko Northwest Constituency I, to enable the completion of Tunji Ojo’s tenure”

The group called on the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, APC chairman and other stakeholders to take advantage of the general acceptability of Tunji-Ojo across political parties and throw its weight behind an acceptable candidate for the election

They however, stated that “Arigidi wards 1 and 2 has the present Commissioner for Women Affairs Hon. Mrs Osadahun Olubunmi and a former two-term Assembly member Hon. Maito, wards 3 and 4 produced an immediate past House of Representatives member, now Federal Minister of Interior Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo.

Also, the Immediate past Chairman Akoko North West LGA Hon. Elder Ayo Akande, Constituency II comprising of Ogbagi had a member of the State House of Assembly in Ondo State Hon. Taofiq, wards 7 and 8 have a serving member of the House of Assembly, Hon. Barr. Felix Afe, Ward 9 Afin/ Ese had a Commissioner Hon. Badmus Rasheed.

“It is important to consider and support the yearnings and outcry of the people of Ajowa, Igashi, Eriti, Gedegede ward 5 that have been marginalised politically in the political circle of Ondo State since the emergence of Akeredolu’s administration.

“In deciding who fits and steps into the mantle of political accolades and strides achieved in the last four years by the APC in Ondo North Federal Constituency,

“It will be a fair representation of equity, fairness and justice which in turn will pave way for political harmony and seal a balanced representation across all sojourn of the Northwest local government area if a candidate is considered from Ward 5 of Akoko North West.”

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