Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, yesterday said he displayed more capacity and intelligence as deputy governor to late Rotimi Akeredolu than the incumbent state governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa did while he served in the same position.
Ajayi, who said this after he received his certificate of return at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, also vowed to ensure that the APC government accounts for how it managed the state treasury.
Ayedatiwa, who was also Akeredolu’s deputy governor, is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate ahead of the November 16, 2024 governorship election.
However, speaking with newsmen after he received his certificate of return, Ajayi said, “I can assure you that the masses are waiting for accountability from the APC government. We are not surprised at the looting of the treasury. Ondo people are conscious of what they know and it is their state and at the appropriate time, they will give them back. They should be able to account.
“Let me tell you, the reward of every politician is election and the people are waiting to reject them. They cannot continue to waste task payer’s money and our common wealth. They will give account of everything.
PDP is not a party that buys vote. We only tell them our programme and manifesto, they will look at it and they will know that we have better programmes.
“As a matter of fact, two of us were former deputy governors, we served the same master but the people know who has capacity, who has character, who has experience, who has intelligence, who can handle the job very well and I can assure you that I am the person. Forget about money, it does not play any part in Nigerian politics. They will choose the right person and that right person is me,” he said.
Ajayi said his former membership of APC is an advantage, adding that he still has friends in APC.
He added, “Just give us a few weeks and you will see how leaders from APC will troop back to PDP because they want confidence in me, they know my character, they know my capacity and ability that I can deliver. So that is an advantage to the party and we are going to explore it.”
The former deputy governor said he and his co-contestants are united.
Meanwhile, the PDP acting national chairman, Ambassador Illiya Damagum, said the party shamed critics with the favourable outcome of the party’s primary election.
Damagum, in his remark during the ceremony, said “At a time our opponents could not put their acts together, but we in the opposition, much was expected of us and we shamed them, we produced a candidate without a dissenting voice. It’s because of what we have put in place that has made this possible.
“During our stakeholders meeting we agreed that all the aspirants must come from the south, and by the grace of God, that is what happened. This shows the preparedness of the party to take over Ondo State.
“Even from the last election we know that Ondo is PDP and from the stakeholders meeting and other engagements we were able to come out with a single candidate.
He told the candidate that he has a daunting task ahead of him.
“Don’t take it for granted that most of your Co aspirants have conceded to you. You need to do more to bring them on board so that you can complete this exercise. To complete this exercise is to win the state for PDP. It is not going to be an easy task, you have to start going from door to door.
“Reaching out to them, persuading them, you must work hard to make sure PDP takes Ondo State, but we will have our stakeholders meeting in the South West on Monday and work for the party. Unlike the other parties, we have an internal working mechanism and when we talk to ourselves we are not garrison Commanders, but we engage and that is why till today PDP remains a brand. It is the only party that you will come as nobody and becomes somebody,” he said.
