- Endorsements don’t win election – Jimoh Ibrahim
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State on Thursday dismissed the threat of the 15 governorship aspirants vying for the ticket of All Progressives Congress ahead of the April 20 primary election.
Aiyedatiwa spoke with journalists after he submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja.
The governor will square up against the senator representing Ondo South district, Jimoh Ibrahim; APC chieftain, Olusola Oke; former President of Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Dr Funmi Waheed-Adekojo and APC National Vice Chairman (South West), Isaac Kekemeke.
Others are Akinfolarin Samuel, Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Okunjimi Odimayo, Adewale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema and Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan and Ifeoluwa Oyedele.
But Aiyedatiwa said he remained the aspirant to beat ahead of the shadow poll, adding that he was not afraid of his co-contestants.
He said, “I am aware we have 15 other aspirants jostling for this same office. They are also eminently qualified. Let me say here that I respect all of them. But we know ourselves. They have been around. We know who they are and what they can do. They are illustrious sons and daughters of the land. But I can tell you there is nothing to fear.
“I can tell you the people of Ondo State know what and who they want. As I said, the youth, women, traders, farmers, artisans, and Ondo workers are all calling for me to continue. Those are the people who will determine who will win the election. I have no fear because they are already speaking. In fact, they have spoken. So there is nothing to fear.
“In the last few years, I have acted in the capacity of deputy governor and acting governor in 2021 and 2023. Now, I am the governor. I am just about 100 days in the office today or tomorrow. I have just done about three months in office.
“My desire to contest was in response to the yearning and aspiration of my people. The artisans, women, students, and traditional rulers want me to continue as governor of the state. They have observed and identified that within a short period of my assumption in office. They could see all I have done in the office in three months. Based on that, they demanded across all the local governments that I should continue as governor of the state. And I cannot do that without going through the process.”
Endorsements don’t win election – Jimoh Ibrahim
However, one of the governorship aspirants of the APC in Ondo State, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, on Thursday, said the endorsements the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has been receiving in the past two months were not indications that he would win the election.
The senator representing Ondo South made the statement after he submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
He said every serious politician knows that endorsements don’t win elections in the country.
He said, “Politics is about democracy and a game of numbers. Nobody gets into office by endorsements. It is stupid to say you are looking for endorsement. Was Asiwaju endorsed by Buhari? At the end of the day, he won the election with no endorsement from anybody.
“Once you believe it is your turn, then it is your turn. In fact, do you still remember his slogans of ‘Emilokan’ and ‘Eleyi t’o pera re ni governor’? As I am leaving here by Monday, I am paying N140m to the party to secure 100,000 delegates membership forms for my supporters.”
He also debunked speculations that his fellow co-contestant in the Ondo governorship race, Olusola Oke, was one of those who stepped down for him to win his senatorial ticket.
“Olusola Oke did not step down for my senatorial ticket. I contested and went around the 66 wards one by one. At that time, I remember Oke joined my campaign only at Ilaje. He even said that he wanted to be governor. So that was that. He did not give me one kobo and did not support my election with anything. I also didn’t have any agreement with anybody. In fact, Oke’s candidate for the senatorial election at that time was Mayowa, and his supporters said so too.
“I actually declared my intention to run 30 days before the primary election. But I knew I would win. I remember some elders telling me at some local governments that I was late and should probably prepare for another time. However, I developed a system that overwhelmed them. I am talking from the perspective of my professional education and as a man with three Ph.Ds. The state shouldn’t be about debt collection. Give me Ondo State, and I will turn it to Dubai,” he stated.
