*DEBUNKING GOV AKEREDOLU’S LIES ON TINUBU’S VICTORY IN ONDO STATE*
*That Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu won massively in the last presidential election in sunshine state, kudos goes to the faithful APC members and our good citizens who never betrayed the agitations of Yoruba from history of Nigeria, Ondo people supported Chief Obafemi Awolowo, we were a significant force in the struggle of Chief MKO Abiola, the beloved citizens of the state gave Chief Olusegun Obasanjo 89% of total votes cast in 2003, that Tinubu scored a total of 67% votes against the projected 90% was due to Aketi’s misrule in the state that forced people of Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency to vote for PDP. Arakunrin’s government is only renowned for maltreating the party members, owing several months of salary, making lives of the citizens unbearable. If the truth must be said, Aketi is running the worst government in the history of the sunshine state*
Following my recent article in which I gave reasons why Tinubu won in Yoruba speaking states and the implication on successor’s plan of Aketi, the chief press secretary of Mr Akeredolu Oluwarotimi SAN, the executive governor of Ondo state, Mr Richard Olatunde, had released a press statement, crediting the success of the last election to his principal . I’m not surprised because the governor of Ondo state is renowned for playing to the gallery which is his second nature. The essence of this may be insignificant to non politicians but to the major players in the game of ballot boxes, the scheming for federal appointments and successor’s plan of Aketi have begun. It will be the most unfortunate thing if Aketi succeeds in his plan to install a puppet after his unpalatable tenure, this may explain why Arakunrin needs to show to the party leadership at national level that he has Ondo state in his pocket.
From the history, Ondo state played a significant role in the formation of Action group, the first political party for Yoruba nation, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, it was the Olowo of Olowo then, Sir Olateru Olagbegi who hosted the meeting at his palace that gave birth to the popular ‘Egbe Olope’ (a party with palm tree as the logo) i.e Action Group. Another Owo indigene from Ondo state who later became the first executive governor with unblemished records, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, started with Chief Awolowo from the days of Egbe Omo Oduduwa in London which metamorphosed to Action Group and served as the national vice president of the party. In a nutshell, Ondo state had never betrayed Yoruba course in history of the race. During the political era of Chief Awolowo, he had no course to suspect Ondo people for any reason, when Chief Akin Omoboriowo tried to betrayed Yoruba in 1983, he paid so dearly for his treachery with his supporters and stolen mandate was retrieved through the supports from Ondo people .
In the same vein, when Chief Moshood MKO Abiola started hope 1993’s campaign, though Evang. Bamidele Olumilua( then governor of Ondo state ) supported Alhaji Babangana Kingibe, this didn’t influence the majority of delegates from the state who pitched their tent with the foremost billionaire against their governor’s wish, finally won the primary at the Jos’ convention. The general election was not different, Alhaji Bashir Tofa lost woefully to the late Egba Chief in the sunshine state. Also, when his mandate was nullified by then military Junta of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida , Ondo state people worked on side of NADECO ( pro-MKO Abiola ), except few ones like Aketi who was the attorney general to then military governor, Capt Ibe Onyearugbulem. The Pa. Adekunle Ajasin from Ondo state was the NADECO national chairman, I don’t need to remind Aketi that the same military administration where he served as the number one legal man, arrested the aged man ( Ajasin) for fighting the Yoruba course.
Since the inception of this democracy over 2 decades , Ondo state had been following other Yoruba agitations, in 1999, Alliance for Democracy won all the six states in Southwest of Nigeria whose majority are Yoruba speaking people with Ondo state inclusive, and voted massively for Chief Olu Falae, not because he is from the state but it was the unanimous decision of Yoruba people. Most of the elective positions were won by this party. In 2003, Yoruba people decided to vote for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s second term, being the only Yoruba man who was fortunate to rule the nation by destiny, Ondo state people followed the trend and this affected other elected individuals from the sunshine state, majority of the PDP candidates of Chief Obasanjo won. In 2007, the agitation to take Yoruba back to the progressive fold was championed by Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu through AC/ACN, Ondo state didn’t vote for the candidate of the party in the state then, i.e Bar. Ademola Adegoroye because they never believed him, Labour party’s governorship candidate, Dr Olusegun Mimiko was preferred . The ruling party, PDP, robbed the region in broad daylight, God used Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to retrieve the mandate across the region, this ushered in 8 years of Labour party’s reign in sunshine state.
In 2015, Ondo state people voted for president Buhari who defeated Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Akeredolu Oluwarotimi SAN lobbied to secure the federal ministerial slot of Ondo state but was screened out by the directive of new president who preferred a professor from Okitipupa in southern senatorial district. However, Aketi was supported in the tension filled governorship primary by the presidency against Dr Olusegun Abraham’s of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the rest is now history. President Muhamadu Buhari lost his re-election in 2019 because of the anti-party activities encouraged by Aketi and APC state chairman, Ade Adetimehin who ordered the state government’s appointees to vote Action Alliance’s candidates. From the antecedents of the state, we always follow our Yoruba people. It’s a false claim that people voted for Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu because of Aketi’s performance as the governor in state, infact, Arakunrin has abysmally performed below expectations and an example of bad governance in the nation.
In a nutshell, that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu won massively in the last presidential election in sunshine state, kudos goes to the faithful APC members and our good citizens who never betrayed the agitations of Yoruba from history of Nigeria, Yoruba lokan indeed worked for former lagos state governor . Ondo people supported Chief Obafemi Awolowo during his days, we were a significant force in the struggle of Chief MKO Abiola, the beloved citizens of the state gave Chief Olusegun Obasanjo 89% of total votes cast in 2003, that Tinubu had 67% against the projected 90% was due to Aketi’s misrule that forced Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency to vote for PDP. Arakunrin’s government is only renowned for maltreating the party members, owing several months of salary, making the lives of the citizens unbearable. If truth must be told , Aketi is running the worst government in the history of sunshine state.
*Dr. Akeredolu O.N, leader, Aketi Medical Team, 2016, vice chairman, Aketi-Ayedatiwa medical committee, 2020*
