By Gbenga Abulude (Politics & General Desk)
Hon Banji Okunomo, former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, has nullified the chances of the party’s candidate; Mr Eyitayo Jegede in the Ondo gubernatorial election slated for October 10.
Okunomo who decamped to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), said Jegede would not stand a chance because of zoning.
His claim was that the Ondo Central Senatorial district had produced a governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko who governed for 8 years.
Read also: Ondo Guber: Jegede Chooses Federal Lawmaker As Running Mate
Okunomo contested with Jegede in the PDP governorship primary and lost, coming fifth in the election.
The aspirant said that the Minister of State for Niger/Delta Affairs, Chief Tayo Alasoadura had also made the same point that Jegede was wasting his time contesting in the forthcoming election.
Recall that Ondo Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu last month while campaigning said power would not rotate to the Central Senatorial District of the state until the year 2032.
Jegede hails from Akure which is zoned under Ondo Central.
Akeredolu, who is from the Ondo North district and gunning for re-election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), had said the central district just ruled the state for eight years.
Read also: Ondo 2020: Ajayi Speaks After Losing PDP Ticket To Jegede
The agriculturist while campaigning for the ZLP Governorship candidate, Mr Agboola Ajayi in Okitipupa said, “As a matter of fact, I’ve always maintained my ideological stand on issues, I don’t go by the crowd. By Alasoadura statement and coupled with what people are saying, the race is between the APC and ZLP.
“Majority of us who were working for the PDP then have abandoned the PDP now, leaving only the party structure loyal to Jegede.”
“You look at the campaign of the PDP, you’ll discover that the PDP candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede goes to the market area for his campaign where he can enjoy the natural gathering of people because people gather in market areas or motor parks, but if it’s about people coming out to embrace the party, the PDP has lost out in this contest in Ondo State.
“Maybe next time, the party will learn because this same error was committed in 2012 when they fielded Chief Olusola Oke from the South as at the time it was not the turn of the South to produce the governor, the same error was repeated in 2016 when Eyitayo Jegede himself was nominated from the Ondo Central after 8 years of Dr Mimiko from the Central as the governor of Ondo State for uninterrupted 8 years which both resulted to the failure of the PDP in the two circumstances.”
“Now, PDP has again picked from the wrong zone, Ondo Central and the people are saying No, including a minister who is their son from Akure”.
“My people, it is not the turn of the Central to produce the governor thus the contest is a straight contest between the candidate of APC and ZLP.”
Okunomo argued that it was time for Ondo South Senatorial district to become governor of the state. He said, “I’m optimistic that what affects Jegede also affects the incumbent governor of Ondo State from Ondo North Senatorial District who also doubles as the APC flag bearer.
“Though the constitution permits him to run if he so wishes the people are against him based on number one factor which is zoning, many people in Ondo State want the power to shift to the South because they believe Ondo North where Governor Rotimi Akeredolu hails from, has used 12 years (4 years of Pa. Ajasin, 4 years of Pa. Adefarati and 4 years of Akeredolu himself).
“Let me also state that a pot does not call kettle-black, I would have taken the statement of Alasoadura more serious, if he had said it is not the turn of the North senatorial district this time but he is being political because he didn’t extend that statement to affect the candidate of his own party.”
“The reality is that neither the North or the Central is favoured, it is only the South senatorial district that is favoured at this moment, I mean it is only the ZLP that has produced a candidate from the south which we want in Ondo State and that is the reason why in the last couple of days, there have been a number of people trooping in from the APC and the PDP to join the ZLP.”
