20th August, 2024
…Ajube collapses PDP structures, pledges to fund Aiyedatiwa’s election in Ondo South
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
It was like homecoming as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa took the campaign for the November 16, 2024 Ondo governorship election to Agadagba Obon, the headquarters of the Arogbo Ijaw kingdom on Sunday. Though Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC is from nearby Ilaje community, the massive support and pledges to work for the success of his bid to retain the Alagbaka Government’s House left no one in doubt that he has been fully adopted as a beloved son, uncle and father by the people and leaders of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom.
Indeed, the people expressed their commitment to the ambition of the Governor not just by trooping out in large numbers to receive him and his campaign train, but in words and concrete promises to work for his victory in the November governorship election.
Leading the endorsement were the Agadagba and Paramount Ruler of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom, Pere(Barrister) Zacchaeus Doubra Egbunu, Opukutu 111 and members of his council as well as Niger Delta Peace Ambassador and entrepreneur, Senior High Chief Bibopere Ajube who immediately pledged to fund Aiyedatiwa’s election in the six local government areas of the south senatorial district of Ondo state, Hon Donald Ojogo, member of the House of Representatives representing Ilaje/ Ese-Odo Federal Constituency; Hon Agabra Atili, Deputy State Chairman of APC; Hon Toyin Allen, House of Assembly Member representing Ese-Odo State Constituency; Hon Samuel Twatimi, Head of the Ondo State Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Hon Kolade Akinjo, former member House of Representatives, among other leaders.
Speaking at the event, the Agadagba and Paramount Ruler of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom, Pere(Barrister) Zaccheus Doubra Egbunu, Opukutu 111 said the decision to give massive backing to the candidacy of Aiyedatiwa is in appreciation of the massive support the Ilajes gave to their son, Hon Donald Ojogo during the 2023 House of Representatives election.
He declared that the Governor also deserved their maximum support as an Ilaje man.
“Our governor is our son in Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom because he is our closest neighbour. There is no way we will not give him maximum support especially as an Ilaje man.
“In Ijaw land, we value and reciprocate good gestures; we cannot forget in a hurry how the Ilajes mobilized hugely for our son, Hon Donald Ojogo to win the House of Representatives seat in 2023. For the very first time, an Ijaw man from Ondo State is in the Green Chamber. So it’s our duty, it’s an obligation for us to massively vote for this Governor who happens to be our Ilaje son,” the monarch said.
Speaking in the same vein, Ajube, who is the Pathfinder of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom vowed to collapse the structure of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Southern senatorial district of the state for the victory of Aiyedatiwa.
As a demonstration of his promise, Ajube presented 2,000 members of PDP who defected to the APC at the event to Governor Aiyedatiwa while also pledging to take up the funding of the election in the six local government areas of the Southern senatorial district. He promised to work for the success of the APC candidate so as not to disappoint President Bola Tinubu. He also noted that the governor has recorded significant achievements since he took over the leadership of the state.
“Mr Governor, your election is our election and that of the president because it is the first governorship election in the Southwest since the 2023 presidential election that produced our own President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“As such, it is of great consequence to the President, and we cannot afford to play with it. We will not disappoint our president and that is why we have collapsed all the ward structures of the PDP in our Kingdom.
“So Your Excellency, just leave the six local government areas in the southern senatorial district of the state for me to provide the money. Just keep the little money you have for other senatorial districts. I have the capacity. I am an Ijaw man. We don’t deceive people. If we say, we will do something, don’t doubt it, we will do it.
Elated by the massive support and endorsement, Aiyedatiwa expressed the commitment of his administration to the well-being and improvement of lives of the people of the state.
The Governor, who enumerated the various initiatives of his administration also expressed his appreciation to defectors as he welcomed them to the APC family with promise that they are now full members of the progressive family.
He thanked the Agadagba, Chief Ajube and all the party leaders for their support and endorsement of his ambition.
Earlier, the Chairman of Arogbo LCDA, Hon Caleb Ebi Molos had also in his welcome address, expressed appreciation to the Governor for his concern for the Arogbo Kingdom and assured him of the total support of the people in the gubernatorial election.
