The Speaker noted that within the short period in office, Aiyedatiwa has been able to carry all the sectors in the State along, adding that he also continued with the legacies of late Governor
Led by the speaker of the State House of Assembly, thirteen of the 22 All Progressives Congress(APC) lawmakers in Ondo have declared support for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to pick the party’s ticket.
Hon. Olamide Oladiji, the speaker, led other lawmakers to declare preference for Aiyedatiwa to continue beyond 2024 as Governor during a meeting with Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in Abuja.
Aiyedatiwa, who was former Deputy Governor, was sworn in on December 27, 2023 following the demise of late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The Speaker noted that within the short period in office, Aiyedatiwa has been able to carry all the sectors in the State along, adding that he also continued with the legacies of late Governor.
Pointing out reasons for their support for the Governor before the party’s highest administrative organ, the Speaker said Aiyedatiwa has prioritised payment of salaries as at when due, recruited 2,000 health workers and ensured cordial relationship among the legislature, judiciary and the executive arms of government.
Ganduje, who assured the lawmakers, governorship aspirants and party members of a level playing field for next month’s primary, also commended the role the lawmakers played in bringing sanity and restoring peace in the party
According to him: “We can’t disconnect legislators from the office of the party here in Abuja because there is always a relationship between you and the office. I call upon you to cooperate with us as we conduct the primary election.
“In this year’s election in Ondo, there are many things that must happen according to our programme starting with verification of membership, screening of aspirants, purchase of expression of interest and nomination forms, and the primaries to pick candidates.
“Ondo state is an APC state and will continue to maintain it. We need your cooperation to conduct a free and transparent primary. We believe our members are equal to the task. What we are seeing here is that there would be cooperation and good synergy with state Assembly members. We have planned a well-articulated programme for the primaries to produce a candidate.”
The Speaker who addressed reporters after the meeting with members of the NWC said: “We are here to tell him (Ganduje) that as far as we are concerned, those of us around amongst our members and those that are on their way that we are fully in support of continuity of APC-led government. We are in support of continuity.
“We want APC to continue with the governments of Ondo State. We believe it will work out and we are giving them (NWC)100 per cent assurance that the primary elections will be peaceful. Inshallah.”
On the allegation of betraying the family of the late Akeredolu, Oladiji said; “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want to join issues with all the aspirants, I’m not an aspirant. I’m a legislator but as far as I’m concerned, the issue of betrayal does not come in. We lost the late Governor to death. The constitution is very clear that when a sitting Governor dies, you know, the deputy governor will have to take over.
“So I do believe that the issue of betrayal does not come into this issue. it’s just an issue of nature. None of us can predict when God will take our life. And as far as the aspirants are concerned, my advice as Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly is that we should not hit the polity. You should try as much as possible to play politics with all decorum in such a way that we don’t have any other State to go to.
“We should try as much as possible to maintain decency while we are campaigning, It’s within the party it’s within our party. We must not allow another political party to snatch this power from us.”
