23rd September, 2012
The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, on Saturday said there was need for the state to return the South West mainstream politics to enhance regional integration.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Akerodolu, a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, said the reintegration would benefit the state the more.
“We never said that every state in the South-West must belong to the ACN but in the case of Ondo, we must work to make it a part of the region for its benefit.
“Ondo cannot afford to be a weakling among the six states making up the region. With regional integration, states will be able to raise more funds together than individually for projects that will benefit its people,” he said.
He noted that the only way for positive change in Nigeria was for regions to grow at their pace, adding, “we will fight for Ondo to be part of the integration.”
Akeredolu hinged his optimism of winning the election to “the clamour of the people for positive change”, saying the people of the state deserve a new government that would show greater concern for their plight.
“The rural areas in Ondo have been neglected totally for too long, my government will open up all the rural areas in Ondo,” he pledged.
On allegation that he was handipicked as the candidate of the ACN, Akeredolu said: “I was not handpicked by anybody. The process that produced my candidature cannot be faulted.”
He also debunked allegations that the ACN was planning to rig the poll, insisting that it had no machinery with which to do so.
The briefing was attended by ACN National Publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the governorship running mate, Mr Paul Akintelure and Mr Dele Aleke, the former Lagos State commissioner for information and strategy
Meanwhile, the National Conscience Party (NCP), has launched its campaign in Akure with a pledge to address the issue of poverty in the state if elected on October 20.
The National Chairman of the party, Dr Yinusa Tanko, made the pledge while declaring open the party’s secretariat on Hospital Road, Akure on Saturday.
Tanko, who was accompanied by the party’s National Secretary, Comrade Ayodele Akele, State Chairman, Adelana Oladunjoye and the governorship running mate, Mrs Benedicta Ogbeto, said the state was the traditional home of the party.
He said the party had been repositioned to make positive impact during the election, adding that it was out to better the lots of the masses.
“No other party in the country can fight the cause of the masses like NCP, because its founder, Chief Gani Fawehinmi lived, fought and died for the down trodden people of Nigeria,” Tanko said.
The chairman, acknowledged the work done by incumbent governor, Olusegun Mimiko, but said the NCP would offer more quality services to the state.
“In NCP, we give credit to who deserves it, that is the essence of politics, but we will impact more positively on the lives of the people of the state generally and peasants in particular,” he added.
Tanko called on INEC to ensure a free, fair and credible election on October 20.
The chairman described the party as a movement, saying, “our members are everywhere, okada riders, traders, women, students and all down trodden people of this country are our members, and they are solidly behind us in Ondo state.”
He said the party had set up career development agency in all its state secretariats where unemployed youth would register.
In a remark at the occasion, Ogbeto said the party was out to solve the problems of the needy in the state.
She said it had developed a 10-point agenda to address issues of development in the areas of electricity and water supply, roads construction, transportation, care for the elderly and pensioners as well as security and telecommunication.