PDP plans to overrun APC in Ondo gubernatorial race

• Sarumi’s candidate dares Obasa, denies APC move
Although Ondo State would not be on the ballot for the gubernatorial election tomorrow, the outcome of the last presidential and National Assembly polls showed the possibility of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) taking over the entire state from the ruling APC. This suggests that come this Saturday, the supplementary election across the Southern Senatorial District of the state alongside the State House of Assembly election might go in favour of PDP once again.

PDP presidential candidate won Ondo State in the result announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s faithful believe the outcome was not a fluke, since they maintain that Ondo State belongs to PDP, as demonstrated in the February 23 polls.The party hopes to record another landslide victory in the State House of Assembly election, which would produce the 26 representatives to man the state legislature in the coming dispensation from each of the constituencies spread across the 18 local government areas of the state. PDP has, however, alerted its members of a plot by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to disrupt the State House of Assembly election and the supplementary election across the Southern Senatorial District of the state to favour APC.

Resisting this alleged attempt by APC could lead to mayhem and the security agencies in the state, which demonstrated that nobody is above the law during the February 23 elections, have been called upon to replicate the feat. Ondo State PDP chairman, Mr. Clement Faboyede, who has been doing his best to remove divisions caused by godfathers in the party over the years, as such the result of the February 23, 2019 came without the stamp of godfatherism.

Meanwhile, there are indications that Hon. Mudashiru Obasa may not return as Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, going by schemes to unseat him by major opposition candidate, Hon. Auwal Tahir Maude. Obasa, who represents Agege Constituency 01, had maintained a tight grip on the politics of the area for close to two decades. This time around, however, he has a strong challenger in the PDP candidate, who enjoys the backing of Chief Dapo Sarumi, a veteran and party chieftain.

Maude said he was fully equipped to achieve the task of ending the Speaker’s reign, stressing, “We will stop Obasa this time. People say he is popular and has been around for a long time. They also say he is the third most powerful man in Lagos politics, considering his position as Speaker. But all these will count for nothing when we meet on the turf come Saturday March 9, 2019. I can assure all our supporters, those who believe in my candidacy, that the time has come to change the status quo.”

The PDP candidate said he based his confidence on the fact that APC platform on which Obasa has reigned has repeatedly failed to deliver despite years of dominance, stressing: “APC have failed in Agege despite the opportunities they have had to add value to the lives of the people in the area. This major shortcoming is what we plan to fully exploit to our advantage on election day.”

On speculations that he was on his way to joining APC, the PDP candidate said: “Let me make this abundantly clear: I’m putting it on record that I haven’t joined the APC, and do not intend to do so now or in the foreseeable future. I still remain the candidate of PDP, and will remain committed to the ideals of the party through thick and thin. I therefore urge all our supporters to disregard the rumours as it is a cheap tactic to confuse them ahead of the elections.”