SOUTH WEST IS THE BATTLEGROUND FOR THE 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION (ONDO)
Written by Suleiman A Gamawa.
No doubt Jonathan can boast a formidable support base in the South-South region, where he hails from, and the parts of the South-East, Buhari will surely enjoy a huge followership in the North. Getting majority votes in their respective comfort zones may not be a tough row to hoe for the two candidates though, but to win the race would require them winning majority of the votes in the South-West(Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo ) is generally seen as the main battleground for the 2015 presidential election.
The two powerful presidential contenders President Jonathan and former head of State Gen. Buhari would obviously save the best of their outing campaigns in the South-West,part of the country where the February election would be won and lost.
We need to looks at the constituents in South west region to determine how the votes would be cast in these states.
(2011 South-West data by INEC)
1. EKITI.............750,753. Voters
2. LAGOS..........6,247,845. Voters
3. OGUN...........1,869,326. Voters
4. ONDO...........1,558,975. Voters
5. OSUN............1,293,967. Voters
6. OYO..............2,577,490. Voters
TOTAL: .......... 14,298,356. Voters
From the south western state Ondo state was created on 3 February 1976 included what is now Ekiti, which was split off in later in 1996 and become Ekiti State . Akure is the Ondo state capital. The state has a population of 3.4 million people and most of the people are Yaruba by tribe the state have 18 Local Government Area
The political storm of Ondo state begins when Dr. Olusegun Mimiko competed in gubernatorial elections on April 14, 2007, against the incumbent Olusegun Agagu and lost according to the result released by the INEC (Independent Electoral Commission).
Mimiko took decision to the election tribunal which cited irregularities in the 2007 election, and Agagu lost office on February 23, 2009 following the ruling by the Appeal Court and was replaced by Mimiko as governor. Mimiko become the first and only member of the Labour Party (LP) to win gubernatorial office in Nigeria.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko won election on October 20, 2012 which enabling him to be the first governor to won a second term in office
Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (nickname “Iroko”) on October 2, 2014 officially decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Labour Party. He and his supporters were received back to the fold by the Vice President,
Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark, Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus and top party men at the Banquet Hall of the State. House, Abuja.
This is when the drama started when politicians began decamping from one party to the other. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, was very much in control and had a strong grip on the state at all levels
The first decamping started when Some who followed the governor from the PDP to LP in 2008 started retracing their steps. They claimed they did not need “Iroko”, as Governor Mimiko is popularly called, to win most seats at all levels of government in subsequent elections and even in the 2015 re-election bid of President Ebele Jonathan.
First, it was Senator Boluwaji Kunlere representing Ondo South Senatorial District who first decamped from the LP to the PDP, followed by Hon. Gani Daodu representing Akoko North West and East Federal Constituency at the National Assembly who decamped from the PDP to the APC.
Two members of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Gbenga Edema representing Ilaje Constituency II and Hon. Folasade Olasehinde representing Ose Constituency also decamped from the LP to the APC.
Other political office holders both at the local government and ward levels also decamped from one party to the other.
Finally, it was the turn of the state governor, Dr. Mimiko who led all the members of the ruling LP, moving all the structure to the PDP.
According Nigerian news papers With this development, the PDP became stronger, dominating more than 80 per cent at the state. Soon after the defection of the governor, the old members of the PDP went on protest, saying they did not want the governor to take over the structure on ground.
The trouble within the PDP continued especially going by the primary elections that followed. Two parallel elections were held both by the Mimiko-led faction and the old PDP, while a legal action was also taken to stop Mimiko by the Ebenezer Alabi led exco. Efforts were made to resolve the issue and Alabi later tendered his resignation as chairman of the party.
But other PDP members also did not agree. Led by Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, a businessman, the battle continued.
Now that the campaign has finally started and with the internal wrangling in the PDP, the APC is waxing stronger.
The presidential running mate of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who visited Akure, the state capital on Friday, witnessed a massive turnout. Observers alleged that most of those who participated in the walk were imported from the neighbouring state of Osun, a claim that was denied by the APC. According to Chief James Oluwole Kolawole, Ondo State co-ordinator of the Muhammadu Buhari Legacy Foundation (MBLF),the people came out because they want change.
“The South-West is mobilizing for Buhari, he will lead with a wide margin in the presidential election,” he boasted
Kolawole told Sunday Trust that the BMLF which is set-up for the propagation of the good legacy of the retired general has members in all the 302 units of the state and is well-grounded in the units.
According to Mr. Victor Olabimtan, one of the coordinators and a Federal Commissioner for Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states at the federal Civil Service Commission, the PDP is very much in charge. He said the crisis is over and they are set to deliver the state to President Jonathan.
President Jonathan is also expected to visit the state on Wednesday for the PDP campaign. For now the battle continues for the soul of the state on both sides.
Question:
Who do think will win ONDO State 1,558,975. Voters PDP or APC ?
Article by Suleiman A Gamawa
To read Part 3 click here: http://suleimanmd.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-battleground-for-hope-part-3-ogun.html?m=1
To read Part 2 click here: http://suleimanmd.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-battleground-for-hope-part-2-lagos.html?m=1
To read Part 1 click here: http://suleimanmd.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-battleground-for-hope-part-1-ekiti.html?m=1
Thank you........
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