What APC Must Do To Retain Ondo State – Don, Says Money No Longer Determinant

By Ayodele Oni

As preparations for the 2024 Governorship Election in Ondo State get underway, a former Vice-chancellor, Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, Prof Williams Olu-Aderounmu has advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to put its house in order as defeat beacons on the party.

The Don warned that APC might be on the verge of losing the position to the opposition party if they pick a wrong candidate as the party flagbearer.

Olu-Aderounmu who had once had a shot at the Governorship seat of the State, gave the warning in Akure weekend, while delivering a public lecture with the theme, ‘Ondo State and the dynamics of party politics’ organized by the Progressive stakeholders of APC.

He pointed out that the party needed to put in place definite-orientation Programmes to correct the value system that has been battered in recent times in the State.

Currently APC in the state is divided due to the absence of ailing Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and this has also culminated in Impeachment move against the deputy governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Going by the zoning arrangement, the next governor of the state is expected to come from the southern senatorial district, the home base of the deputy governor.

With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releasing time table for the election, aspirants have began to emerge from political parties.

Olu-Aderounmu said “Unless good materials are identified, selected and identified, whether they have money or not, APC will lose elections at all levels in the future.

“APC must as a matter of policy in picking Candidates for future elections look for people with integrity, community or local acceptability, education, good past records, popularity of candidates with the NLC, Teachers, Civil servants, Students and Market women. Relying only on naira or dollar would no longer in the long run, be acceptable to voters.

“It is no longer news that the National economy is in shambles in spite of the country being blessed with one of the largest daily output of crude petroleum in the world. I am even told now that the Country had collected revenues for crude oil not yet supplied.

“It is that bad. To Compound the problems, our National infrastructure of transportation energy communication, water and power is in ruins, Our health and educational facilities have decayed and even the administration bureaucracy has become non-functional.”

Olu-Aderounmu also accused the executive arm of government in ondo state of not encouraging full separation of powers.

He said, “Lack of true separation of powers is the issue of non-existence of autonomy for both the legislature and the judiciary, which without doubt, required a serious attention of all stakeholders.

“It can also be said that our legislators are not forceful enough in competing aggressively with other legislators in the Country, Ekiti State has performed better undoubtedly. I hope we have not been sending our tenth eleven to represent us at local, state and National levels

One of the organizers, Afe Olowookere said the theme of the lecture was carefully chosen to “provide compendious ground through which issues pertaining to Governance and good governance, Democracy and democratic values, stewardship and accountability, Leadership and leadership responsibilities, shall be critically examined and exhaustively discussed with the aim of effecting a paradigm shift in all of the topical issues.