As Ondo State prepares for its highly anticipated off-cycle governorship election on Saturday, November 16, both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are ramping up their campaigns, with top party officials and governors converging on the state to secure votes.
On Wednesday, November 13, the APC staged a massive campaign rally at the MKO Abiola Democracy Park in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where key party figures including Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and several governors from the southwest, including Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), addressed a large crowd of supporters.
At the rally, Ganduje officially handed the party’s flag to the APC’s governorship candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and his running mate, Dr. Olayide Adelami, urging Ondo residents to come out in full force on Saturday to vote for the party.
In his address, Vice President Shettima rallied support for Aiyedatiwa, referencing past leaders of the state such as Adekunle Ajasin, Adebayo Adefarati, and Rotimi Akeredolu, and suggesting that had they been alive, they would have supported the APC.
“Your vote is your voice, and by voting for Lucky Aiyedatiwa, you are voting for progressive governance,” Shettima said, emphasising the continuity of the development agenda of the ruling party.
Similarly, Ganduje expressed confidence that the APC would win massively in the state, calling for a “unity vote” for Aiyedatiwa to secure political stability in the southwest.
He urged the electorate to vote for “continuity” and further development, particularly in terms of infrastructure and social services.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also spoke at the rally, urging the people of Ondo to ensure the election remains peaceful and free from violence, asking them to vote for the broom emblem on the ballot and avoid conflicts that could tarnish the process.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, added to the excitement, boldly declaring that the APC would sweep all 18 local governments in the state, calling it an “Operation One Direct,” signaling his party’s ambition for a clean sweep.
PDP Final Campaign Rally
Meanwhile, the PDP has scheduled its own grand campaign rally for Thursday, 14th November, also in Akure.
The rally will be led by top party figures, including Governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
The PDP is determined to challenge the APC’s dominance in the state, with its leadership urging Ondo residents to vote for change and to reject what they term the “failed, corrupt, and inept administration” of the APC.
PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, strongly criticized Vice President Shettima’s remarks, rejecting the suggestion that the PDP was a “reactionary” party, and instead positioned the APC as being out of touch with the people’s needs.
The election campaign has not been without controversy, as political tensions in Ondo escalated following a violent clash between suspected APC and PDP thugs in Idanre Local Government Area on Wednesday, November 13.
Six people were reported injured and are receiving treatment at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Akure.
PDP spokesman Adeyemi Fasoranti accused APC supporters of being behind the violence, claiming that armed thugs were threatening voters ahead of the election. In response, APC Chairman Ade Adetimehim denied the allegations, insisting that the APC was a peaceful party and had no involvement in any violent activities.
The Ondo State Police Command has launched an investigation into the incident and is working to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. Police have vowed a zero-tolerance policy toward political violence in the lead-up to Saturday’s poll.
As the election date draws closer, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is finalising its preparations.
On Wednesday, the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, supervised the inspection of sensitive electoral materials at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Akure branch. INEC officials reassured stakeholders of the transparency of the process, with materials set to be distributed to local governments beginning Thursday, November 14.
Despite concerns raised by the PDP over potential bias, INEC has insisted that Mrs. Babalola, who was appointed nearly a year ago, will oversee the election. The commission dismissed allegations of partisanship, calling on the PDP to provide evidence of its claims.
With both the APC and PDP making their final pushes for voter support, and election-related tensions rising, all eyes are on Ondo State as it heads to the polls this Saturday.
