A Governorship aspirant and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, who also doubles as the designer of the APC logo, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele has promised over the weekend that if elected as governor of the state he will revamp its infrastructure and take its economic development to the peak.
Oyedele made the pledge at the APC Media Centre after submitting his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms at the APC National Secretariat, Abuja.
He explained that he has made his personal unconditional sacrifices for the party and believed the APC will reciprocate the gesture by nominating him as the governorship standard bearer in Ondo state.
According to him; “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 made these sacrifices for the party because, I can say with all due respect and humility, that I am one of the founding fathers of this party having participated actively in the APC merger Committee. 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 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 it 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 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.
“In Ondo state and I know some of you who read my manifesto know this, we have identified and spelt out how we are going to deal with the security situation in Ondo. I hope that the state police law will be enacted by the time I am governor but even at that by cooperating with the existing security agencies, I remember telling the IGP that when I become governor he will find it difficult to stop policemen and officers from asking for preferential posting to Ondo state because we will assist the police. We will ensure that in injury or death of a policeman his family will be adequately catered for. We will provide them with shoes, bullet proof vests, communication, ensure they are mobile, police officers manning a critical position will be fed at least once day. So they will not be in a hurry to go home and afraid to discharge their responsibilities. I can assure you that we have the formula of making Ondo state great again.”
