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Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele
'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - A leading aspirant in the forthcoming gubernatorial primary election in Ondo state Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele has stressed that it is his turn to govern the Sunshine state.
Oyedele said this while submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the national party secretariat yesterday, April 5, 2024.
The APC has fixed April 20th for the conduct of its primary election to pick its candidate for the governorship election slated for November 16 by INEC.
Explaining his rationale for joining the race, the seasoned engineer said he is new to the process having ran for governorship in 2020 and the national secretary in 2022 but was prevailed upon on both occasions to step down in the interest of the party.
The man who designed the party's logo submitted that his extensive career in the public and private sectors made him the most suitable for the job among all the aspirants jostling for the ticket.
"Indeed, I'm not new to this process. You will recall that in the year 2020, I was the frontliner and the front runner against the incumbent (Late) Governor of Ondo State at the time. Following persuasions from party leaders, I willingly and unconditionally stepped down for the then governor of Ondo state, Late Rotimi Akeredolu to ensure that the party is not disunited and for the first time in the history of party politics, all of the aspirants rallied behind Akeredolu in the elections that took place on the 10th of October, 2020 and APC won. In the year 2022, I was in Costa Rica when party leaders called me that I should return home to Nigeria immediately to contest for the office of the National Secretary of the party. And of course, following the intervention of party leaders again I was persuaded to step down and I did unconstitutionally to ensure that the party hegemony is retained. Now, I have done these sacrifices to the party because I can say with all due respect and humility that I am one of the funding fathers of this party having participated actively in the APC merger Committee and therefore I was also fortunate to be the one who designed the logo of the party which is today the identity of the Africa's largest political party.
"There are a few things that we must consider for somebody who should run for the office of a governor of a state. One is the fact that the person must have a vision for the state. Two, the person must have capacity. There is no doubt and I said this with all sense of responsibility and respect that of all the aspirants that have so far signified their intentions, even in their minds they know that I am the most competent, the most experienced, having started my career as a civil servant in the year 1983 in the Ondo State Ministry of Works; traversing there to the Office of the Governor as a pioneer staff of Rural Electrification Unit and the Directorate of Rural Development, went on to the private sector and rose from there to become a consultant in one of Nigeria's foremost consulting firm at the time. Thereafter I was appointed Executive Director in two of Nigeria's highly and successful companies at the time. And in 1992, I joined my friends to form a Private Limited Liability Company until 2016 when I appointed Executive Director in the Niger Delta Power Development Company. Today, I am the foremost Alumni of the University of Lagos, being the President Worldwide. I am a member of the university governing council; I have served in the boards of very important companies. In terms of education, relationship, capacity I am sure and said without any iota of doubt in my mind that I am the most competent aspirant. Therefore using the foremost words of the President and Commander - in - Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I can say in Ondo state: "Emi Lo Kan", I think is my turn.
"Therefore, I am offering myself to serve as the next Governor of Ondo State. And I use this opportunity to call on all the citizens of Ondo state who are eagerly celebrating my signifying the intention. There have been a bedlam of voices thanking God that I have offered myself to serve as the Governor of Ondo state.
"Ondo state needs a governor who is competent. Today we are not doing very well. In terms of infrastructure, healthcare delivery, education. You will recall that Ondo state used to be in the forefront of all of these human indices but I can assure you that as governor of Ondo state, I will take Ondo state back to the zenith of economic and human leadership. Why? Because Ondo state has abundant human resources. I think you all know that, we are perhaps one of the best educated states in Nigeria and there are several opportunities. It is therefore very important that we elect a man who has vision that can take the state back to the top. We are sure that victory is ours" he said.
