.Jimoh Ibrahim boasts of becoming governor through judicial pronouncement
By Daniel Kanu and
Ishaya Ibrahim
Rotimi Akeredolu is yet to hit the ground running for the Ondo governorship, bogged down by the many factional crises in the state All Progressives Congress (APC).
The vote, on November 26, is just four weeks away.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, has reportedly toured all the 18 councils, and is on a second campaign trail.
In contrast, Akeredolu has no visible ground game, though airing radio and television jingles.
“The APC camp is in disarray. The absence of support from Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Olusola Oke, and Segun Abraham has weakened us,” an APC chieftain told TheNiche on condition of anonymity.
Boroffice has disbanded his support group and refused to endorse Akeredolu.
Abraham is in court seeking to upturn the decision of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) which recognised Akeredolu as candidate.
Oke has defected to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) with a large chunk of APC supporters.
Tinubu’s connection
Bola Tinubu – who recently rejected the ceremonial position of APC national leader because he felt APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun allegedly helped rig Akeredolu candidacy – has reportedly lend support to Oke’s quest.
“Tinubu originally supported Abraham. With the emergence of Akeredolu as APC flag bearer, he is now supporting Oke, whom he knows cannot win the governorship on the platform of the AD.
“Although he is very strong in the Southern Senatorial District of the state, his entry into the race is just to deplete the votes of Akeredolu and pave the way for the PDP to win,” the source said.
Oke appointed Bola Ilori, a close ally of Tinubu, as his campaign director general. Ilori’s job description, many observers say, is not to get Oke elected, but to stop Akeredolu.
“This is because the AD and the APC will be pulling from the same basket of votes,” the source explained.
Calculations about Akure, Ondo, Owo
The source said current political indicators favour Jegede.
“Jegede is from Akure, which has the highest number of voters in the state. Governor (Olusegun) Mimiko is from Ondo, which is also the second area with the highest number of voting population.
“Don’t forget that Akeredolu, who is from Owo, is not so popular in his area. He lost his own unit in the 2012 election. So, coupled with the crises in the APC campaign, the PDP looks unstoppable.”
Akeredolu’s Campaign Manager, Victor Olabimtan, could not be reached at press time.
His daughter was having an engagement, hence he was not available for comment, his personal assistant told TheNiche on the telephone.
Abayomi optimistic for Akeredolu
But Tunji Abayomi, an APC chieftain, insisted that there is no cause for alarm as Akeredolu would kick off his campaign tomorrow, Monday, October 24 in grand style.
He said the APC has built a formidable structure the electorate have identified with and are poised to vote for him became the party remains the one to beat.
His words: “From Monday, we are going to take the state by storm as the people are already waiting to receive our campaign team.
“We have a good structure on the ground and the chances of our victory are there and quite high.
“Let me tell you the PDP has no chance, forget about the empty noise they are making. Who is even their governorship candidate in the first place? They are yet to settle that issue.
“Don’t forget that Jimoh Ibrahim still has a court injunction and you cannot ignore that. The court is still powerful and you cannot ignore its verdict.
He added that the PDP, despite being in power in Ondo, is unpopular because of its non-performance.
“The PDP has no chance in this election. The party is unpopular because the people know that it has not performed. I can tell you that the APC has the best chance to win this November election.
“Some people think that the vote for Olusola Oke will adversely affect that of Akeredolu but that is not true. Rather it will affect the votes of the PDP candidate because they are both from the southern part of the state.
“Some PDP members are happy that the APC is in a crisis but they will realise after the election that it does not affect our strength in winning the election.
“The people are yearning for change and we will provide that alternative.”
PDP’s bone on the neck
The PDP also has a bone on its neck, Jimoh Ibrahim, who has secured a ruling from the court of Justice Okon Abang recognising him as the candidate of the party, even though he has no single poster in Akure.
Ibrahim’s campaign headquarters on Oyemekun Road in Akure is perpetually empty and under lock and key.
He reportedly boasted in a meeting with his workers that he would not break a sweat in any campaign but would eventually become governor through the court after the poll.
State PDP Publicity Secretary, Banji Okunomo, told online newspaper PREMIUM TIMES that the party filed a stay of execution of the judgment and that a copy is with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But Jimoh Ibrahim Campaign Organisation Media and Publicity Director, Yemi Akintomide, countered that the court ruling recognising him as the PDP candidate is a substantive judgment that cannot be stayed by an injunction.
In his view, the Jegede camp can only appeal it.
A ruling on the matter will be delivered by Abang on Thursday, October 27, and Akintomide said Ibrahim will start his campaign after the ruling.