From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
A former member of the House of Representatives representing Odigbo/ Ile Oluji/ Okeigbo federal constituency, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, has declared intention to contest the next governorship election in Ondo State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former federal lawmaker said he is the best candidate for the governorship race, having gathered necessary experience to serve in that capacity.
Akinfolarin who was a former Deputy Speaker in the state, said there must be a paradigm shift for a better and prosperous state, saying there is the need for fresh and better ideas to turn around the state, especially in the area of economy and agriculture.
He said “My agenda is to transform, reconfigure and restructure the politics of Ondo State, because Ondo state is economically dynamic in the sense that it has so many mineral resources that can make it one of the best states in the country.
“The agricultural sector is one area that is critical to the development of this state, critical in the sense that we have so many things that can boost the revenue of this state, for example we have cocoa, rubber an palm kernel.
“But we’re not putting attention on the natural resources but we’re focusing on industrialisation, although industrialisation is good for any society or economy to thrive or develop.
“Apart from the agricultural sector, looking at the education system, the teachers are not encouraged, when I was in the house of representative I organised several seminars for the teachers because the students are the product of the teachers.
“For example, we’re talking about rural electrification, it should be taken seriously.
My agenda is to pay serious attention to the rural electrification and agricultural sector which I know will create job opportunity for the teeming unemployed youths,” he added.
He assured that “in the the educational sector we are going to build new classrooms where necessary, renovate structures to make them habitable and employ more teachers.”
Also, he assured that “the welfare of the citizenry would be paramount to my government, if your citizens are not comfortable, you have failed as a leader. There are other things but majorly I will provide a very solid platform for people to do any type of business or businesses they believe in. So my agenda is people oriented whatever we do will be in relation with people at the foremost.
The two term Deputy Speaker in the state however, said that he is the most qualified to take over from Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as governor come 2025.
According to him, apart from his qualifications and political experience, he decided to contest for the governorship seat in 2024, because it’s the turn of southern senatorial district of the state to produce the next governor.
He said “In terms of experience I’m better than all of them because I’ve contested election seven times and I’ve won five times, none of them can prove to have such credential.
When I was in PDP, the whole of Ondo south senatorial district were all from PDP, it was when I left PDP for APC that APC was able to have one representative at the National Assembly. So, I was the face of APC when I was in the House of Representatives. If not for me, no APC will be mentioned in Ondo south senatorial district.
“If the party pick me today the whole of PDP will be empty, I am the best of all of them in terms of the political experience, in terms of taking care of party member.
Describing the achievements and developmental strides of Akeredolu as unequal in the state, the APC chieftain promised to build on developmental projects of Akeredolu if elected as governor of the state.
“Governance is about people trying to exhibit their own kind of leadership and I think the present Akeredolu led administration has done well in the state,.in the area of infrastructural development.
“My party has done well, and what my party has done is enough for the party to win an election, and considering my personality, I have a personality that will navigate the political affairs of Ondo state without any obstacles.
” My personality can win election anytime any day, in any part of the state, I have a very solid and formidable structure. I am the best, most solid and most acceptable of all of them.
“One of the greatest achievement of the present governor is the area of security because the level of kidnapping and armed robbers, it has reduced drastically and we can sleep with our two eyes closed.
” I will consolidate on the present security architecture in the state because security remains the primary objective of any government because if we can’t guarantee the security of lives and property, then there is no government. I will ensure that an enabling environment for people of the state in order to realize their potentials,” he added.