Ondo guber war: Who claims the ‘Sunshine State’ ?

In from Olumide Olaoluwa . . . .
About 1.4million eligible voters and at least 20 political parties in Ondo (the Sunshine) State are warming up for the governorship election slated for October.
In what promises to be a keenly contested election, the exercise will determine to a large extent the political temperature of the Southwest, as it promises to be a keenly contested game between the two main political parties in the country; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Should the ruling PDP win, it will consolidate the grip of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in the state and further decimate the desire of the APC to rule all the six states in the region.

For now, only Ekiti and Ondo States are controlled by the PDP in the region. Owing to this regional political battle, the fight for Ondo State will be a very tough one.
Mimiko, whose second term is about to end, is determined to install his successor. This, according to observers, is what will confirm his place in the political history of the state. Sources close to the governor said he is bothered that the emergence of a successor from the APC might rubbish all his eight years of stewardship and subject him to unsavoury probe.

This possibility, it was learnt, is what the governor cannot avoid to risk, which is why he is desperate to install a successor of his choice.
PDP House of Disunity

But his plan might not pan out fine considering that the PDP is in serious disarray in Ondo State. Many observe the troubles within the party are not unconnected with the fact that the governor, fondly called Iroko by admirers, may be losing control in the state.

Since Mimiko moved to the PDP with members of the defunct Labour Party (LP), the centre has been difficult to hold together. The party has been infected with a gale of defections by prominent chieftains.

Some of those who have since abandoned the umbrella symbol of the PDP for APC’s broom are: former Mimiko’s Deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi; one of his close aides, Dr Pius Osunyikanmi and former Senator, Dr Ayo Akinyelure.

Others are Dr Oluwole Akinbobola and former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Akin Akingbesote among several others.

Many old PDP members are also aggrieved that they have been sidelined by old LP members in the running of the state and government patronage. To quickly move to placate them, Mimiko recently dissolved the caretaker committees of the 18 local governments.

They were replaced with most aggrieved old PDP members. There are feelers that the governor is also reaching out to many of them to accept Board appointments expected in the next few weeks.

It is also learnt that the governor is determined to hold the local government elections in few months’ time well ahead of the governorship poll to have total control over nooks and crannies of the state.

The crisis in the PDP has limited the number of those interested in flying its banners in October at the governorship poll to only five. But sources in the party said this is actually a desperate ploy so as not to further polarise the party.

Dissecting PDP’s candidates
As at the last count, those that have openly indicated interest in the contest within the PDP include: Sola Ebiseni, Kingsley Kuku, Prince Akin Olowokere, Saka Lawal and Eyitayo Jegede (SAN).

The party’s stronghold is in Ondo South, which is where the governor is said to be beaming his searchlight. Ebiseni and Kuku are the main contenders from the senatorial district.

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Ebiseni, a grassroots politician, is the current Commissioner for Environment. He is believed to be close to the governor and enjoys a large followership in the district.
Kuku, the immediate past Chairman of Amnesty Programme, has deep pocket and is the most formidable of the candidates. But his running battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged corruption and personal enrichment has become a main headache for his aspiration.

Mimiko, who is said to be disposed to his candidature, has reportedly backed out, convinced that Kuku will never escape the anti-corruption trial by the EFCC.
Saka, the former deputy governorship candidate of the party in 2012, is from Akoko Northwest of the Ondo District. The close aide of Mimiko joined the PDP after the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) handed over its ticket to Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) in 2012.

A hugely popular politician, Saka’s structure in the 18 local governments is still intact. The agitation for zoning also favours him as he is from the North, which has never produced a governor.

For now, Mimiko is believed to be titling more toward the incumbent Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede. His headache however is that Jegede is from Akure, the same Central District that produced Mimiko.

The PDP is after a candidate that is sellable, who will be a unifying factor and loyal to the incumbent.

Glut of candidates in APC

The opposition party has witnessed a recent resurgence in Ondo State since its painful defeat in 2012. Many PDP chieftains have joined its fold. In the last National Assembly elections, the APC had a good outing. It won two out of the three senatorial seats, five House of Representatives seats and produced five out of the 26 State House of Assembly members.

This has buoyed the confidence of members that the party can upstage the PDP come October. The leading thinking in the party is that it should take advantage of the clamour for power shift to Ondo North senatorial district. Many APC chieftains are buying into the concept, which explains why many of its candidates are from the zone.

So far, no less than 25 people have indicated interest in the APC’s governorship slot, they include: Ajayi Boroffice (North); Rotimi Akeredolu (North); Olusola Oke (South); Victor Olabimtan (North); Paul Akintelure (South); Ifedayo Abegunde (Central); Segun Abraham (North) and Niran Sule-Akinsuyi (North).

Others are: Tayo Alasoadura (Central); Foluso Adefemi (North); Bukola Adetula (North); Jamiu Ekungba (North); Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose (North) and Tunji Abayomi (North).

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There is also: Bode Ayorinde (North); Akinrinsola Oyewole (South); Derin Adesida (Central); Segun Ojo (North); Tunji Ariyomo (Central); Ganny Dauda (North); Pius Osunyikanmi (South); Muyiwa Ogunleye; Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Central); Dapo Adelegan and Wale Akingbade.

The number of candidates can become an albatross for the party with many of them ever aggrieved or working at cross-purposes. In 2012, Akeredolu was imposed on the party by elders, a development that backfired with many working against the APC from within.

Indications are that while the party stalwarts will be willing to allow for a free and fair primary this time, they might zone the slot to the north to drastically reduce the number of candidates. This is because it remains the stronghold of the party with the PDP in control of the South district. This leaves only the Central district as battleground for both parties.

Akeredolu and Boroffice are the leading contenders. One cannot also dismiss the chances of Alasodura, Oke and Abegunde. Akeredolu, the former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) contested the same election in 2012 under the platform of the defunct ACN.

He is close to the highest echelon of the party but is believed to be tight-fisted and snobbish. Many believe he is more of a Lagos politician, questioning his strength in Ondo State.

On his part, Boroffice is a grassroots politician and respected mobiliser. The incumbent Senator couldn’t be trusted with the party’s ticket in 2012 because he just defected from the defunct LP in 2011.

Many believe Boroffice has more than proven his commitment to the party in the last five years, turning the APC to the beautiful bride in his senatorial district. This time around, there are feelers that party leaders will give him the slot having proven his loyalty.

The two- term Senator is well-loved with his many humanitarian gestures widely acknowledged. He is believed to have the network and resources to give Mimiko’s anointed candidate a run for his money.

But the race might not be a two-horse contest if speculations that former Aviation Minister, Olu Agunloye, might join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest the election. Businessman, and self-styled turn around man, Jimoh Ibrahim, is also said to be eyeing the seat on the platform of Accord Party (AP).

No doubt it promises to be an interesting contest, but it is still early days, as far as some people are concerned. Permutations are that the intrigues, scheming and maneuverings will get intense, as the October date for the elections get nearer, and Nigerians are sure to witness another round of political drama play out in Ondo State. Be sure Ripples Nigeria will follow it closely and report it as they unravel.

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