The PDP said that between 2003 and 2009 when Olusegun Agagu of the party ruled the state, Ondo flourished.
The party said that since the party’s
“accidentally” exit from the state house, the Sunshine State had been
faced with storms under the current Labour Party government.
It has thus been canvassing the support
of the people to bring it back to the state house so that the Sun can
shine again with Olusola Oke at the helm.
During President Goodluck Jonathan’s
visit to the state for the party’s campaign, he acknowledged that the
state was richly endowed. However, he said the state needed good
governance, which only the PDP could provide.
“Nigeria earns its revenue through two
major ways agriculture and crude oil. Ondo is blessed with both. All the
state needs is good governance and that is what the PDP represents.
That is what (Olusola) Oke represents,” Jonathan said.
The party’s followers believe that the
PDP is the most popular party in the state, especially with a poll
report by an Abuja-based opinion and survey agency, Pollstar, which said
that Oke had maintained the lead over other candidates in the state.
The agency reported that Oke topped the charts for three consecutive weeks at the expense of his counterparts.
“Oke, for three consecutive weeks,
topped the chart with 29.5 per cent with the Labour Party candidate,
Olusegun Mimiko, in the second position with 21 per cent. The Action
Congress of Nigeria’s candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu came third with 19 per
cent,” the report said.
It further gave an indication that Oke’s
popularity began to rise during his rallies when he reminded the people
of the better life they enjoyed under the Agagu-led administration.
He promised that he would bring back
life to the state, build the roads, decentralise facilities concentrated
in Akure, the state capital, and ensure that the education system
worked again. He seemed glad about the responses from the crowd at the
rallies yelling, ‘Oke is Okay.’
Shortly after the governorship debate,
the PDP candidate earned the nickname, ‘Ondo Obama’ because many people
perceived him as an eloquent person during the governorship debate. The
manner and aggression with which he tackled questions and his opponents
further endeared the PDP to the people.
So, it was not surprising that his
message during the debate was that the state needed a ‘new order.’ He
said that the state was going through a crucial period for which new
ideas were needed.
Young, vibrant and putting his law
skills to use during the debate, Oke noted that the new era was
necessary as “the economy of the state was nose diving.”
He said, “There is unemployment and
poverty everywhere. With the abundant resources the state has, the
people have no reason to be poor. We need a new order. Those who claim
they would continue to do the same thing the way they have been doing it
cannot be a part of this new order.”
Many believe that his performance in the
debate subsequently aided his campaign as his explanation on the
current administration’s alleged errors and an insight into his plans
for the state, endeared the electorate to him.
The Federal Government’s support was
also a big boost to Oke, who is eyeing the number one office in the
state. Although there were speculations that the FG was not in support
of Oke, the presence of the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo and later on
the President in the state, put that rumour to rest.
The Director-General of the Olusola Oke
Campaign Organisation, Dare Bada, while welcoming Jonathan to the state,
said that his presence would shut rumour mongers up. He said, “The
President is here to see the will of the people to change the current
government. They came to demonstrate that the dividends of democracy
that we enjoy before is now a mirage. That is why they came in the rain
and now they are here in the sun.
“A lot of rumours have been peddled;
they were saying that the President does not support us. His presence
here means he is the father of the party and he supports us.”
Oke had on several occasions banked on
FG’s support, promising the people that he would be a link between the
state and the FG if elected.
Oke said, “I would take advantage of
being a product of the transformation agenda of the FG to transform Ondo
State. The situation in the state is precarious because the state does
not enjoy a good relationship either with the South-West or the Federal
Government.
“Apart from having the FG’s support, the
people of the state have come to see the PDP as a party to beat because
they feel it is impartial. The several promises by the government to
conduct a free and fair election in a safe and conducive environment
have made the people to warm to the party in the state.”
Similarly, during his speech on security
in the state during election, the President had warned trouble makers
to steer clear of the state. He said, “This election should be one-man,
one vote; one-woman, one vote. I have heard that people want to bring
thugs. The FG would not allow any thug that day. There are enough
security men that would ensure that thugs will not come out that day.”
Although things seemed good for the PDP on the outside, the party is
boiling inside. Last Sunday, the state chapter of the party expelled
five of its prominent members: Prof. Olu Agbi, Chief Segun Adegoke, Dr.
Akin Olowookere, Hon. Demola Adegoroye, and Hon. Kunle Agunbiade, for
alleged anti-party activities.
About 24 hours to their expulsion, they
had said in a news conference that there was no cause for their
expulsion. They stated that there was no fair hearing for them, thus
making their expulsion null and void.
They canvassed support for the LP
candidate and further went to expel some other members, thus deepening
the party’s crisis six days to the election.
Even with the crisis currently rocking
the party in the state, the PDP is still a top contender in the
governorship election. While the other two major political parties in
the race threw accusation and counter accusations at each other, Oke
stayed focused preaching his ‘gospel of the PDP’ to the people.
With his eyes on the prize and the
people chanting ‘Oke is Okay,’ the PDP in the state seems confident that
in a free and fair election, it would win and once again, cause the sun
to shine in Ondo State. may the best person win.
