• Aiyedatiwa moves to boost food security, agric with construction of rural roads
• Mulls establishment of agro-logistics centres
The gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, Olugbenga Edema, has berated the decision of associates of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Edema, who described their defection as jumping into a sinking ship, said that with their action, they had exhibited a high degree of ignorance about the status of the APC in Ondo State.
He emphasised that if they had done the due diligence, they would have known that by virtue of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report issued following the April 20, 2024 primary, and by the clear provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the APC does not have a legitimate candidate for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
According to the NNPP’s standard-bearer, the primary election that produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the APC standard-bearer did not follow due process, as disclosed by INEC. He exuded confidence in the NNPP’s chances of victory at the November 16 election.
MEANWHILE, Aiyedatiwa, yesterday, commenced the construction of rural roads in Idanre Local Council to boost food security and agriculture sector. According to the governor, the project aligns with his administration’s commitment to uplifting the standard of living for the state’s large farming community.
The governor, who stated this during the groundbreaking ceremony of the 10.9-kilometre Idanre-Obajare Road, stressed that agriculture is the backbone of the state’s economy.
Aiyedatiwa also said that the project was made possible by the government’s consistent payment of counterpart funds for RAAMP, in line with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the World Bank and the French Development Agency.
The governor said that plans by his administration to establish nine agro-logistics centres across the three senatorial districts of the state would further boost the agricultural value chain.
On his part, the Administrative Secretary of the Directorate of Rural and Community Development and Chairman of the State Project Monitoring Committee of RAAMP, Wole Akinkuotu, reiterated the administration’s proactive stance in participating in RAAMP.
