Ahead of the November governorship election in Ondo, a leading governorship aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just-concluded primary election, Hon. Gbenga Edema, on Wednesday dumped the party, and emerged as the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the election.
Edema’s emergence followed the withdrawal of the former candidate of the party, Oluwatosin Ayeni, from the race while Edema subsequently emerged as the candidate during a special meeting held by the party’s leadership in Akure, the state capital.
In his acceptance speech, after the substitution governorship primary of the party on Wednesday, Edema advised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to start packing his bags and get ready to vacate the Alagbaka Government House in Akure, as there is no way he could avoid being voted out of power.
Edema said he decided to accept the challenge to serve on the platform of NNPP because internal democracy thrives in the party.
Edema said “One of the most important aspects of our democratic process is the issue of internal democracy in the affairs of the political parties.
“The issue of internal democracy manifests in the manner that parties conduct their election processes which must be predictable, transparent, and in compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (1999) (as amended); the Electoral Act, 2002; the Constitution of the various parties and their rules guiding the conduct of their elections”
“It is in the public domain that the purported primary election conducted by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 20/04/2024 for the selection of its gubernatorial candidate for the 16th November 2024 election is lacking in these attributes and as such cannot be described as democratic.
“This act of impunity should not be supported and be allowed to continue in our polity. It is a trite that you cannot give what you do not have. And as the saying goes “a house built with spittle will certainly collapse under the early morning dew”.
According to him, “the demise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is just around the corner like its sister, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from which it took over the reign of power.
“It is on this note that I hereby formally announce my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) forthwith.
” I hereby pitch my tent with the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), a truly progressive and people-oriented party. This is a party for the immediate future. I don port o”
He, however, served the state governor, Aiyedatiwa quit notice, saying he was fully prepared to wrestle power from the ruling APC in the state.
“We therefore use this medium to serve a notice to quit to Governor Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa and his APC cohorts that effective from the 24th February 2025, the Government House, Alagbaka will no longer be available for their use.
“With the NNPP, we are providing a more veritable and people-oriented government to all the good people of Ondo State as captured in our manifesto which would be made available in due course”
Edema stated further “I offer myself as your candidate and standard bearer for the Ondo state gubernatorial election coming up on the 16th November 2024.
“I accept the challenge, I accept the mandate freely and willingly granted to me today, and I promise not to ever look back.
“I have carefully studied the manifesto of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) which have been skilfully put together by some great minds and I have found out that a great deal aligns with our vision as encapsulated in the Igbega Ondo manifesto which has been put together by our team for taking Ondo State out of the woods and setting it on the “consolidation and sustainability lane” for total development”.
Meanwhile, Ayeni who withdrew from the race, in his letter of withdrawal made available to journalists on Wednesday, said that his withdrawal was in the interest of the party.
He stated that “I, Ayeni, Oluwatosin Israel, a governorship candidate of NNPP for the November 16, 2024 election in Ondo State, hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest.
“My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, NNPP,” the letter read.
While speaking on Ayeni’s withdrawal from the race, the State Chairman of NNPP, Mr Peter Olagookun, who confirmed the withdrawal of the candidate, said that Ayeni willingly withdrew his candidacy to give way for better candidacy of the party.
Olagookun said the party still have room to substitute its governorship candidate for the party, saying the change of the party’s candidacy would further strengthen the party for victory in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
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