By Joshua Oluwadare

Leaders and members of APC in Oke-Aro Ward 8 have commended the governor of Ondo state, His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, for his people-oriented programmes in the state in his few months in office.
The people who expressed confidence in the government of Ayedatiwa to make dividends of democracy accessible to the people of the state have adopted Ayedatiwa as their candidate for November 2024 governorship candidate in the state.

All the political stalwarts, who spoke on behalf of other members at the ward meeting tagged AIYEDATIWA ’24 PARTNERS’ MEETING attended by a large number of party members on Friday at Moferere Street, Oke-Aro, Akure, declared their support for the aspiration of Governor Aiyedatiwa to lead the State beyond 2025 in order for him to fulfill his dream of taking Ondo State to an enviable height.

In his remarks at the meeting, a former House of Assembly Member and aide to the immediate past governor of the state, Hon. Tayo Abidakun popularly called Jaja, who appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for the appointment of one of theirs, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, as his Chief Press Secretary, listed among others, some of the programmes of Aiyedatiwa that have endeared him to the heart of the people of the state.
According to him, in his few months in office as the Governor, Aiyedatiwa has approved the payment of #1.2billion gratuities to pensioners, and also flagged off rural access road including Board Road, Oda, Iju-Itaogbolu, Ifira Akoko and other parts of the State to make life better for people living in rural areas.

Jaja, who declared that he believes strongly in the leadership of Aiyedatiwa, said that when he was a people’s representative at the state, he facilitated development to Oke-Aro and Akure at large.

Hon. Abidakun, who described Aiyedatiwa as a listening governor, praised him for his active roles in developing Akure in terms of his readiness to complete all road projects initiated by the immediate past governor such as Oda road, ijoka road, and Igoba township road among others.

He declared that all APC members in Oke Aro Ward 8 are strongly behind Aiyedatiwa as he pledged their support for him in the forthcoming election.

Earlier in his welcome address, APC Ward 8 Chairman, Hon. Oluwadare Olanrewaju, who expressed confidence in the ability of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to drive the development of the state, urged all party members to work consistently for the success of Governor Aiyedatiwa at the upcoming Primaries as well as general election.

He charged all the party members to go back to the various units and start mobilizing people in support of the Governor.

In his remarks, a former House of Assembly aspirant and party leader, Hon Bosun Ogunleye,
who disclosed that there might be other groups claiming to be Aiyedatiwa group in Oke Aro, said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the modality to work for the victory of Governor Aiyedatiwa.

According to him, some groups may claim that they are working for Aiyedatiwa, the only group recognized is the one headed by Hon. Jaja with the support of their leader at the central, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi popularly called ‘Tukana’, the present SSG.

“Tukana is our leader at the central and we are under the leadership of Hon. Jaja in Ward 8. Let us all come together under this big canopy to work for the success of Aiyedatiwa. It is this group, APC Ward 8, that has the party structure. Any group without the party structure is not recognized,” he added.

Also speaking, Hon. Fisayo Falarugbon, who described Aiyedatiwa as the most qualified among all contestants, said, “All the contestants are qualified and members of APC, but Lucky Aiyedatiwa is the most qualified. This is why all of us in APC Ward 8, Oke-Aro, are declaring our support for him as our preferred candidate.”

In her remarks, the APC Ward 8 Woman Leader, Mrs Deborah Olowosusi, admonished all the women to join the right queue and be steadfast, assuring them of victory and dividends of democracy.

Speaking on behalf of all unit coordinators in Ward 8, Idanre Garage unit coordinator who said he had wrestled and won the grip of Idanre Garage from PDP for APC, Hon. Peace Joe declared the support of all unit coordinators for the ward chairman to continue to lead them, and readiness of the coordinators to work with the leadership of APC Ward 8 for the victory of Aiyedatiwa in both primaries and general elections.

Present at the meeting were APC leaders from all units including Hon. Tayo Abidakun, Hon. Bosun Ogunleye, Pastor Williams Atibioke , Hon. Muyiwa Adeyeye, past Councilor; Hon. Mayowa Owolabi, former SA to Governor; Boyede Adebowale, LG Exco; Hon. Lanre Ojo, former councilor; Adebumiti Sunkanmi, Mrs Deborah Olowosusi, Hon. Yemi Omojagbe, Mrs Boyede Adebowale, Mrs Obassy and other women leaders as well as unit coordinators and youth leaders.