As the electorates in Ondo State go to the poll tomorrow (Saturday), they would have the choice to determine who rule the state for another four years by their vote.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 17 political parties fielded candidates for the weekend governorship poll.
But the main political parties and contestants to watch out for in the election are – incumbent Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the APC (North), Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP (Central) and Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, of the (ZLP) (South).
The emergence of Ajayi into the race after he fell apart with Governor Akeredolu, has been described as a “third force”.
No doubt about the fact that one of the three candidates will emerge the governor of the state after the election.
While speaking at the stakeholders meeting held at the ‘Dome’ event centre in Akure, the Ondo state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rufus Akeju, said, “everything required statutorily has been put in place for the registered voters in the state to vote for the candidate of their choice tomorrow.”
According to him, the delimitation data of the State are as follow, number of registered voters, 1,822, 346, number of PVCs distributed 1,478,460, number of PVCs remaining uncollected 343,886.
Akeju noted that implication of the above was that only 1,478,460 voters that collected the permanent voter cards are expected to come to the various voting points to exercise their franchise on Saturday.
Also, the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, promised that all eligible voters would have equal opportunity to exercise their right to vote appealing to all political parties, candidates and their supporters for peaceful conduct.
“Our commitment is to ensure that the choice of who becomes the next Governor of Ondo State is entirely in the hands of the voters. I wish to assure all eligible voters that every vote will count and only the choice made by the people of Ondo State will determine the outcome of the election.
“I want to assure political parties and candidates that we will remain focused on our processes and procedures. Let me reiterate to all stakeholders that the Commission will not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.
“I wish to reassure the people of Ondo State that the Commission has taken every step to ensure that the election on Saturday is free, fair, credible, inclusive and safe,” Yakubu said.
The political atmosphere in the state ahead of the Saturday election is tensed as supporters of the main political parties are in a last minutes of wooing electorates to their different camps.
Also, no fewer than 20 sitting governors in the country are the states to mobilise materials support for the candidates of their various political parties.
As it stand, the PDP candidate, Jegede, who is from the central has a brighter chances in the governorship election exercise.
It was even gathered that majority of the civil servants in the state have determined to vote for PDP no matter how the strategies the ruling APC may wanted to used to woo them saying that Jegede is the only candidate to their welfare.
In the camp of Governor Akeredolu, one of the major factors that may tilt the election in his favour is that his party, the APC, appears to be united, going into the election.
Almost all members of the party are solidly behind him, drumming and canvassing support for his re-election across the length and breadth of the state.
The ‘third-force’, ZLP candidate, Ajayi, some political gladiators revealed that there was no how the deputy governor will not win the Saturday’s governorship poll.
According to them, Akeredolu’s led government had allegedly marginalised people from the Southern senatorial district where the deputy governor came in terms of project distribution.
It said it was recently that the present government started fixing some township roads in the area and the only Ore Flyover Bridge in the state.
Akeredolu had been accused of abandoning the zone, which is the oil-producing zone in the state. Recall that a large section of the zone, especially the people of Okitipupa local government area, have been without electricity for close to a decade in spite of the Omotosho power plant located in the area.
In view of the aforementioned, the people of the area with massive voting strength are saying that without electricity in their area, they won’t vote for Akeredolu believing that their son, Ajayi would do it for them.
Apart from that, the National Leader of his party, Olusegun Mimiko’s factor may likely work for Ajayi according to some political analysts.
Some analysts and observers believe that the former governor of the state will deliver Ondo East and West areas with huge voting strength to Ajayi on Saturday with some local government which would declare him as a winner after the exercise.
But, no doubt about the fact that it’s the electorate that will decide who will be the next Ondo State governor if they massively come out tomorrow to exercise their franchise wisely and peacefully.
