By Kolawole Ojebisi
The acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party bereft of economic blueprint.
Damagum said this is evident in the myriads of economic woes besetting the country as the ruling party is helpless on how to take it out of the woods.
He said this during the PDP’s final campaign in Akure, the capital of Ondo, on Thursday.
Damagum appealed to Ondo residents to vote for Agboola Ajayi, the party’s governorship candidate on Saturday.
“PDP is the only party that has given good governance all over Nigeria,” he said.
“If you see any of our states that is being governed by PDP, you will see overhead bridges, good roads, and good schools. What is happening in Ondo in the last six years? No good road, no development.
“At the federal, they don’t even know what they are doing. They have lost their minds. They don’t know how to run the economy. That is why you are wallowing in poverty.
“So, this is the right time. When you elect Agboola Ajayi, he will join his brother governors in the PDP to ensure that the PDP changes the narrative of this country.
“They brought you so many things, but you can’t use them because they have brought you hardship. So, please, let’s change these people.” Damagum added.
Also speaking, Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, appealed to the party’s supporters to ensure they come out to vote on Saturday.
“Don’t sleep off on Saturday, and don’t forget to vote for PDP and make sure you stay behind after casting your vote,” Makinde said.
He continued, “Ensure that the vote is counted, entered into the form, and equally follow it to the coalition centres.”
Addressing his supporters, Ajayi said his administration will enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies, such as Amotekun Corps, forest guards, vigilantes, and traditional hunters, through advanced training and the provision of appropriate equipment and required legislation if elected as governor.
“We will incorporate and engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders in implementing community policing and neighbourhood watch for the safety of our people.
“We will invest heavily in technology by deploying modern surveillance and intelligent gathering technologies to effectively monitor hotspots and vulnerable areas such as forest reserves and farmlands to prevent and respond to crime appropriately.” Ajayi said.
The Ondo gubernatorial election is scheduled for Saturday, November, 16.
It is dubbed “battle of former deputies” and believed to a two-horse race between the incumbent governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa, of the APC and Agboola Ajayi of the PDP.
Both candidates once served as deputy governor in the state. Coincidentally, both candidates served as second-in-command to the late Rotimi Akeredolu during his reign as governor.
Ajayi was deputy governor of Ondo State during Akeredolu’s first time in office; he was dropped and replaced with Ayedatiwa for the late governor to complete his eight-year reign.
Unfortunately, Akeredolu died in office, a sad development that automatically led to the emergence of Ayedatiwa as governor.
Damagum’s remarks came hours after president Tinubu labelled the PDP as a “reactionary” party while addressing the electorate, through proxy, in the state.
