Asking Me to Step Down is Ridiculous, Akeredolu Replies Oke

Olawunmi Dennis/

The Ondo State government has described as ludicrous a claim by one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, that he made overtures to Governor Rotimi Akerodolu to step down for him ahead of the election.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, who stated this added that such statement made by Oke to journalists after the submission of his nomination and declaration of interest forms in Abuja, should excite not only sympathy but also a grave concern for perception of some public figures.

Oke, the controversial Unity Forum candidate claimed that he had been “reaching out” to Governor Akeredolu, SAN, with a view to having him step down for his aspiration to govern Ondo State.

Odebowale said it was laughable that any aspirant could ask the incumbent governor of the state with the largest concentration of enlightened and informed people to negotiate with a local champion who has never won a pan-Ondo State or even a Senatorial election since he joined politics.

He said: “It is laughable to see a man who rejoined the APC after suffering the most crushing defeat in the last gubernatorial election in the state, boast of his political stature necessitating exigent intervention. It is sad indeed that the man who alleged that he lost the gubernatorial primaries in 2016 because of phantom 300 votes allegedly given to an opponent and the eventual winner could not use his popularity to win on another political platform, the moribund Alliance for Democracy, (AD), resuscitated to promote treachery.”

Odebowale said that unlike Governor Akeredolu who won the 2016 election, Oke only “flaunts some specious credentials of service won in two local government areas in 2012 and 2016. He had earlier attempted to be in the National Assembly twice and failed while he was the Chairman of OSOPADEC and a member of the NDDC, he can hardly point to many projects he executed in the state”.

He added, “He cannot point at any project evidencing altruistic intervention today. His stint as the National Legal Adviser of the PDP …brought nothing to the people even as every loss at the polls often provided an avenue to defect to another party.”

According to him, Governor Akeredolu, SAN, will be seeking the support of the good people of Ondo State to serve, yet again, and will be depending on his performance as his scorecard will be presented to the people to afford them the opportunity to choose between proven altruistic service and other aspirants.

He said the people of Ondo State have left no one in doubt as regards their consistent avowal against all acts and suggestions tending towards subjugation, and their ability to discern is legendary. He added that they will speak as they have always for the candidate of their choice in the next election.