The Peoples Democratic Party National Campaign Council for Ondo State Governorship Election has revealed that with all critical indices, its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), will defeat his All Progressives Congress counterpart and incumbent, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, on Saturday.
The Chairman of the PDP Campaign’s Publicity Sub-Committee, Kola Ologbondiyan, said this in an interview on AIT programme, Kakaki, on Thursday.
Ologbondiyan said Akeredolu’s poor governance as well as anti-people policies of denying the people of their rights to health, education and economic benefits, have irredeemably pitched him against voters.
This is coming on the heels of Governor Akeredolu’s open declaration that Jegede was a fit, capable and trusted hand to manage the affairs of the state as governor.
Akeredolu, in a recent interview on Arise TV, agreed that Jegede is a competent hand to lead the state.
In endorsing Jegede, Akeredolu described the PDP candidate as “worthy of the office”, a statement Ologbondiyan said conveys the Governor’s readiness to concede defeat
after being voted out on Saturday.
Appearing on Kakaki, Ologbondiyan stressed that the overwhelming demography of voters have rejected Akeredolu’s self-serving administration for its wicked policies, including the increase in school fees by over 100 per cent and stopping of the “Mother
and Child” health programme established by the previous administration to bring succour to the poor, even in the face of prevailing harsh economic situation in the country.
He added: “This is in addition to the entrenching of a corrupt system through which resources meant for the ordinary citizens are allegedly being frittered by his cronies and relations, the latest being the failure of the administration to account for the COVID-19 intervention fund released to the state.
“Governor Akeredolu went against the heart of the expectation and values of the Ondo people. Education, welfarism for the poor, particularly their health and economic empowerment are at the core expectation of the people but Governor Akeredolu’s administration went against all of them.”
Ologbondiyan recalled that the low fee education system as well as the mother and child programme were part of the welfarist policies of the past administration in which Jegede served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
He said the PDP candidate is set to restore all welfarist programmes in addition to entrenching other people-oriented policies in an all-inclusive government, immediately he is elected into office as governor.
The PDP campaign stressed that Jegede’s practical and people-driven manifesto had led the majority of Ondo people to reach a consensus to vote him in as their new governor.
The campaign therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to succumb to pressure by the APC to interfere in the election but ensure a reinforcement of his stance of non-interference in elections, as witnessed in the Edo State governorship election, which brought him applause across board.
He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to respect the wish of the people by ensuring the sanctity of the ballot box in addition to transmitting of results directly from the polling unit.