Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship
aspirants showcased their strengths as they received the former
chairman of the Ondo State Oil and Minerals Producing Development
Commission (OSPADEC), Prince Adewale Omojuwa, to the party at a rally
in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje sub- ethnic nationality, reports
Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU.
Ilaje,
the fishing community in Ondo State, was aglow with festivities. Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) banners adorned the walls, roundabouts and
buses, which conveyed thousands of supporters to the rally. Party
leaders, who were the hosts, were in joyful mood as governorship
aspirants and their supporters stormed the ancient town for the ‘rally
with a difference.’
To them, Prince Adewale Omojuwa, a prominent politician, who had just dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for theACN, is a big catch. It was actually a defection rally organised to welcome the former chairman of the Ondo State Oil and Minerals Producing Development Commission (OSPADEC), the contenders seized the moment in a demonstration of strength and popularity.
Six of them, accompanied by their supporters, made the event colourful. Former Finance Commissioner Segun Ojo, who had served as the Afenifere national treasurer, climbed the stairs to the podium swiftly in a manner betraying his age. He waved the party flag to the party faithful, singing and dancing.
“Any river that forgets its source will dry up. That is the tragedy of the Ondo State governor”, he declared, amid shouts of his nickname “The General”. Welcoming Omojuwa to ACN, he added: “Mrs. Omojuwa, like her husband, the prince, was a moving spirit in the PDP. She will do the same for ACN. We have swept the carpet off the feet of Labour Party and its end is nearer”. Ojo congratulated Omojuwa for his decision to team up with the ACN, adding; “we are expecting all “Omolubais” outside to come in.”.
Another
aspirant, Dr. Olu Agunloye, who rode in an open roof Sport Utility
Vehicle (SUV), waving at the crowd, stormed the venue with 1,000
ex-militants and about 5,000 PDP and LP defectors. He was accompanied by
Lagos politician Mrs. Morenike Adesina Williams, who hails from Akoko.
“We must hack Iroko down in the next election,” said the former Power
and Steel Minister, who applauded Omojuwa for joining the progressive
team. “Labour Party means hard labour in Ondo State. In this area, there
is nothing that Mimiko has done for you. We will correct that. We want
to correct the ills. But we must first uproot the Iroko”, he added,
eliciting wild applause from supporters.
Mrs.
Williams, chairman of Igando-Ikotun local council, who had earlier
canvassed support for Agunloye, described ACN as “the Ark of Noah is
ready to move”. She said Omojuwa had entered the Ark, urging other
well-meaning people to support ACN’s vision and mission in the state.
She said: “Let ACN rule Ondo State and Ondo will become another Lagos
State. Go to Osun, go to Ogun, go to Oyo, you will see action. Ondo
cannot be different.
“I am
from Ogbagi-Akoko. We will sweep the bad government away. We want Ondo
to become another Lagos. Ondo should liberate itself from misery by
voting the ACN”.
Senator
Ajayi Boroffice also stood out in the crowd, being the only aspirant
adorning a white ‘agbada’ on the podium. He arrived few minutes after
the supporters of another aspirant, Segun Abraham, came in five new
buses donated towards his campaign by his friends. Supporters of the
banker-turned politician, Jamiu Akingba, another aspirant from Akoko,
mixed freely with the youths carrying the banners of Mr. Wale
Akinterinwa, former Finance Commissioner, who is also jostling for the
number one seat.
There was no strife and rancour on the campaign field as supporters shared the same canopies, food and drinks. In unison, party members rendered the Ilaje anthem, after singing the national anthem. Other Yoruba sub-ethnic groups present looked in amusement. Although security agents maintained surveillance, there was no report of unruly behaviour during the ceremony that spanned nine hours. Yet, the occasion still served as a veritable opportunity for a popularity test for the contenders in an atmosphere of dignified tolerance and understanding.
ACN
senatorial leader in the South District Pa Wale Akintimehin exuded
happiness at the impressive turn out, praising Omojuwa as a crowd
puller. He said the PDP defector had taken a bold step by crossing to
the ACN and congratulated the Ilajes for embracing the best political
option. “We will work together and enjoy together. We have good
aspirants. What we should do is to cooperate together and achieve
success”, he admonished.
Echoing him, the women leader, Erelu Modupe Johnson, said: “We should unite as we move to Alagbaka in as from October”.
However,
a party chieftain, Femi Adekanmbi, stressed the challenging task of
power shift in a state where violence disrupted the memorial ceremony
organised for former Governor Adebayo Adefarati. He said politics should
be complemented by prayers. Adekanmbi added: “God who sent Oni packing
in Ekiti will send Mimiko away”.
In Okitipupa/ Igbokoda axis, there is the agitation for the zoning of the governorship to the South, and then, Ilaje area. A stalwart, Niyi Olajide, who recently defected to the ACN acknowledged “the wind of change from the PDP to the ACN”. But he stirred controversy at the rally, when he dwelt on this sensitive issue. He elicited applause when he said: “PDP is dead in Okitipupa Local Government. If anybody says there is PDP there, it is a deceit. We presented Agagu for the Senate, he lost. What is left?”.
However,
when Olajide said “Ondo has a zoning formula,”adding that “for now, no
governor will come from Okitipupa Local Government; it has produced a
deputy governor, minister and governor”, his remarks momentarily
polarised the teeming Ikale party supporters. It took the diplomacy of
another chieftain, Taiwo Olayiwola, who spoke after him, to douse the
tension by elevating “state politics” over the vulgarities of “local
politics”, thus re-uniting the collective focus of the party faithful.
He spoke briefly on the challenges before the ACN, contending that “this
gathering is evidence that ACN will win Ondo State”.
Next
month, ACN is expected to name its flag bearer. Will the prevailing
concord among the contenders last? Agunloye, who spoke with reporters
before the rally, assured all that party unity would not be consumed by
the selection process. He said the process of building and nurturing the
party’s structures, to which his “Omoluabi Campaign Organi-sation” is
committed, would not be disrupted.
“We
have a stronger, robust ACN ready to win power. We have witnessed the
exodus of PDP and LP members to the ACN. We are determined to uproot the
Iroko, hack it down and make a wood out of it for firewood”, he added.
Agunloye also pointed out that ACN aspirants are united in their determination to get the LP administration out of the way, foreclosing post-primary crisis.
“The growth in the number of the ACN aspirants means that it is the party of choice. Aspirants are building the party. That is what Boroffice is doing in Akoko, Alasoadura in Akure and others in their localities. Labour Party cannot match ACN again. Its antics of scheming, manipulation and violence will fail,”Agunloye stressed.
Source: The Nation Newspaper, May 9, 2012.
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