Ondo 2012: ACN And Its Many Aspirants

Following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that October 20, 2012 is the date for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the stage appears set for the election that is believed would be a straight contest among the three main political parties in the state.

The parties are the ruling Labour Party, LP, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

Political Platform reliably learnt that the situation in the ACN appears more pronounced as members of the party, who have always seen their party as an alternative to the ruling party in the state have begun jostling for the top post.

Still basking in the euphoria of the success of the party in the 2011 general election in the Southwest, where it won all the states except Ondo, the party parades the largest number of aspirants intending to chase the incumbent governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, out of the Alagbaka Government House.

At the last count, about 25 people have been listed to be interested in the gubernatorial seat.

Among those in the race are former Minister of Defence, Navy, Dr Olu Agunloye; a senator in the Second Republic, Senator Olorunnimbe Farunkanmi; human rights lawyer, Dr Tunji Abayomi; the immediate past chairman of the party in the state, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose; senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Professor Ajayi Boroffice and a former national president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; former chairman of ACN in the state, Sola Iji; a former senator that represented Ondo South Senatorial District, Omololu Meroyi and a former member of the House of Representatives, Jayeola Ajata.

Others are former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, former commissioners for finance under the Adebayo Adefarati tenure, Segun Ojo, and Saka Lawal, who is a former aide to Mimiko; Olusegun Abraham, representing Akure South/Akure North in the House of Representatives; Ifedayo Abegunde, Rawa Felix, the immediate past Commissioner for Finance in the state; Wale Akinterinwa, a former director of Trade Bank, Alhaji Jamiu Ekangba and Olayato Aribo.

To the adherents of the party, the large number of aspirants shows the acceptability of the party by the people. However, some opinion experts outside the party have insisted that the number would soon be an albatross to the political ambition of the party, as it will need more than permutations to solve the post primaries or selection crisis that is likely to ensue after the party might have settled for its candidate.

Majority of the contenders are from the Ondo North Senatorial District which comprises the four local government areas in Akokoland. These include Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Akoko North-West and Akoko North-East, it also has Owo and Ose.

The argument of the aspirants from the district is that it is the turn of the North to produce the next governor. The first governor in this dispensation, Adefarati, was from the North. Dr Olusegun Agagu, who succeeded him, is from the South senatorial district while the incumbent governor, Mimiko, is from the central senatorial district.

That is the reason the North senatorial district is parading a large number of aspirants, with Akokoland having the highest number. However, selecting a candidate among the pack from this senatorial district would be a big task for the party.

Some of the contenders have been trying to agitate for the consideration of Akoko North-West/North-East federal constituency, saying that the constituency had not occupied any of the major posts zoned to Akokoland.

They argued that the last governor from the zone was from Akoko South-West/South-East federal constituency, while the incumbent deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, is also from the constituency.

Also, the people of Owo/Ose federal constituency in the party also believe it is their turn to produce the next governor, saying that Adefarati that was from the senatorial district was an Akoko man.

This explains the ambition of Anifowose, who is a daughter of the former governor of old Ondo State, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Akeredolu, Ekungba and Aribo, who is the only aspirant from Ose Local Government Area.

The people of the central senatorial district in the race believe that considerations should be given to the old divisional arrangement where the state had Ondo Division, Okitipupa Division, Akoko Division and Akure Division.

Coincidentally, the three aspirants from the senatorial district, Alasoadura, Farunkanmi and Abegunde are from Akure Division.

With this crowd of aspirants fighting for the party’s sole ticket, there are indications that the party would face problems

—Jamiu Yisa