#BlogFeature - Ondo State APC Are Unproductive!

Hello everyone, here is Olajide Beke, a Political Analyst based in Lagos with another feature article. His articles and views are his own opinion and they are always very interesting and enlightening. Here's a link to some of his previous post on my blog.

Enjoy. :)

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Ondo state was created on February 3, 1976 and it occupied 15,115km square area in the South West region of the countr. It shares a boundary with the following States; Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Edo and Kogi. It has over 7million population and endowed with many natural resources including crude oil. The government of the highest employer of labor in the state while the private organization holds about the 20% of employment rate.

Politically the State has been active since its creation in 1976 even after Ekiti state was later carved out in 1996. The state had 18 local government areas. In 1999, the first governor came from Ondo North senatorial district; Akungba Akoko to be precise and late Adebayo Adefarati was the man in power, under the Alliance Democratic party, who later handed power over to Late Dr. Olusegun Agagu from PDP and he was from Ondo South senatorial district, while the present governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko emerged as the governor through the tribunal verdict in 2009 under the Labour Party before he decamped to PDP. 

He came from Ondo town, under Ondo Central Senatorial District. Ondo state indigenes are rather weak and docile when it comes to national politics regardless of the party affiliation. Let's take the last year presidential election as a case study. The roles and activities of people like Fayemi, Fashola, Segun Oni, Ameachi, and Oshoimole cannot be over emphasized  They all helped the Buhari campaign technically, financially and scientifically. There were some lives which were in danger due to the high risk they took and these include Ameachi and Fayemi. Also, this is one of the reasons why APC won. While they were working assiduously and integrating the people, PDP were on the other side making enemies.

Throughout the electioneering period, no Ondo State indigine's name was in the national limelight despite the positions they acquired. People like Kingsley Kuku and Dr Osuyikanmi worked directly with former President Jonathan, but they have no political charisma.

Another governorship election is scheduled to hold this year October but the entire Ondo State is so calm and silent as if they have just concluded an election. During the Kogi and Bayelsa elections, the media was agog and they were like gladiators in the field fighting for the honey pot job, but in Ondo State, the APC leaders are either sleeping or lack initiative and the creativity nature to bring the people together. All we are hearing are "Akure Agenda, I lake agenda, Akoko Agenda and so on". Can all of these selfish interests bring out the desired change?

Apart from the mass votes for President Mohammed Buhari (PMB), what was our contribution in terms of human resources, financial support and other professional skills render towards PMB campaign in Ondo state? I believe that if nominating ministers from each state is constitutional, Ondo state don't deserve to have one. The incumbent governor is plotting his graph with techniques and strategies to bring another looter to Alagbaka House in Akure by arranging a local government election which he did not do for the past 7years. The APC leader in the state, Kekemeke is not even helping matters despite his wealth of experience in politics. If the APC wants to win the forthcoming election, they should choose any of the best candidates from Ondo North senatorial district. 

We have not see the party blueprint or manifestoes for the State and we have less than 8 months to the election. I hope and pray they can put other house in order as soon as possible and forget about the ethnic politics they are doing so that they can win the state, but if they continue with this ineptitude, I am sure they are heading straight to failure.  The state clocked 40 years yesterday but there is little or no significant development in the state since creation despite it being an oil producing state.

Article by: Olajide Beke

Twitter: @jidbek1