2023 Election: Ilaje leaders tackle Ondo deputy governor over alleged imposition of Rep candidate
Leaders and stakeholders in llaje council area of Ondo state have kicked against the alleged plan by the deputy governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa of planning to impose a candidate for Ilaje State Constituency II and Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency come 2023 election in the state.ADVERTISING
The leaders under the auspices of the llaje Patriotic Youths Movement, IPYM in Ondo state said in a statement that the Deputy Governor, who hails from Ugbo decided to support the immediate past Chairman of OSOPADEC, Hon. Gbenga Edema is from the Mahin in the same council area because of his 2024 governorship ambition.
In the statement jointly signed by its President, Comrade Edamisan Agbudeloye and Secretary, Benjamin Ajimuda made available to newsmen in Akure said “it has been monitoring the movements of the Deputy Governor to prevent any Ugbo son or daughter from getting elective federal positions in the APC government, saying that this will shut out the Ugbo Kingdom.
However, in a swift reaction, the media aide to the deputy governor, Kenneth Olusola Stevenson described the allegation as ” cheap blackmail.
The group however alleged that the Deputy Governor approached Edema shortly after he lost out in the battle for his return as OSOPADEC chairman.
” lt was reliably informed that he sealed a deal with Edema that if the former OSOPADEC boss becomes a federal lawmaker he must support his governorship ambition.
The group pointed out that “the Deputy Governor must understand that the current Ilaje/Ese-Odo lawmaker, Hon Victor Akinjo is from Mahin and is already spending a two-term.
According to the group “for fairness and equity, the next representative should come from Ugbo if the party decides to zone the ticket to Ilaje.
“We won’t allow the Deputy Governor to create a political imbalance in our domain. He is not God and he should stop acting in such a way of outsmarting God. Only God knows tomorrow.
” If it is the will of God for Lucky Aiyedatiwa to become the next governor of Ondo State, no mortal can stop him.
“Mr Deputy Governor should understand that this is the turn of Ugbo to produce the next Ilaje-Ese-Odo federal lawmaker. It is improper for any reasonable politician to support anyone from Mahin for such office when their son, Hon Akinjo is already spending eight years in that office.
“Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is an advocate of political fairness and equity and that is why he leading the voices championing the cause that the next President of Nigeria must be a Southerner.
The group added that “we are urging Mr Aiyedatiwa take a cue from his boss and desist from any act that may cause political unrest in our kingdom” the statement read.
Contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Kenneth Odusola Stevenson denied the allegation of imposition by his boss.
” it’s not true, Edema and others interested have not consulted the deputy governor on their House of Representatives’ ambitions.
” So if anybody or group are accusing the deputy governor of imposition of a particular candidate, they are doing so out of their wildest imagination.
Stevenson said that the group should not distract the deputy governor with cheap blackmail.
