By Julius Alabi
Special Correspondent, Akure
Akure Youth Council (AYC) has added its voice to the agitation for an Akure indigene to be elected Ondo State governor on February 24, 2017.
No civilian indigene of Akure has governed since the Murtala Mohammed regime carved out the old Ondo Province as a state from the old Western State on February 3, 1976.
Western State itself was called Western Region until 1967. From that year, the military Governor was Adeyinka Adebayo until July 1975 when Mohammed ousted the Yakubu Gowon junta.
Adebayo is from Ekiti, now a separate state from Ondo.
The civilian Governors since 1979 are Adekunle Ajasin from Owo (1979-1983); Bamidele Olumilua from Ekiti (1992-1993); Adebayo Adefarati from Akoko (1999-2003); Olusegun Agagu from Okitipupa (2003-2009).
Current Governor Segun Mimiko is the first person from Ondo town to rule the state.
Akure was the capital of Ondo Province just as it is now the capital of Ondo State.
A statement issued in Akure, signed by AYC President, Tutu Adekanbi, commended the Deji of Akure, Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, for gathering people from the old Akure Division to pursue the agenda of producing a governor.
Adekanbi noted that the Akure axis – comprising Akure South and North, Idanre, and Ifedore Councils – has the highest number of voters in the state who have supported politicians from other divisions to win governorship elections.
His words: “AYC enjoins the indigenes of Akure and its environs who are into politics, spiritual and traditional leaders, as well as opinion leaders to come together and support the current agitation for an Akure man to be the next governor of our dear Sunshine State in order to put Akure city in its rightful leadership position in the state.
“We, as Akure youths, can no longer fold our hands when our beloved town and people continue to be relegated to the background and we continue to play second fiddle in the political arrangement of the state.
“We urged our parents, brothers, sisters, and mates to join hands with [Aladetoyinbo] to make this dream come to reality.”
AYC also urged both the federal and state governments to urgently rehabilitate the Akure-Iju Road, as it is now a death trap to those travelling through it to Ekiti and Kogi States.