Ahead of November 26, gubernatorial election in Ondo State, indigenes of Owo local government have written to the State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, leaders of THE All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the need to support an indigene of the town to become the next governor.
The ancient town said it took the decision to write those involved in the political affairs of the state at a meeting tagged Owo General Assembly (OGA) and attended by Chiefs, Elders, Youths, religious Leaders, Professionals and Politicians of the established political parties.
It added that the meeting also got the blessing of their paramount ruler, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi III and other traditional rulers.
In the said letter, which the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, State Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke among others were copied and signed by OGA National Coordinator, Chief Akin Aruwajoye and Secretary, Dr. Monday Duromola, the people lamented over marginalization.
They also said they have put in place strategic voting system to reduce the number of aspirants from the town to three.
Out of 50 aspirants jostling for APC ticket, Owo has seven of its indigines, while only two have shown interest under the platform of PDP.
In APC, they include, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, Jamiu Ekungba, Bukola Adetula, Niran Sule-Akinsuyi, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose (née Ajasin), Akin Awodeyi Akinfehinwa, Hon. Bode Ayorinde while that of PDP are Senator Remi Okunrinboye and Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi.
In the letter, the community said “the zoning of political office at both national state and local government levels has over the years been embraced by all political parties in the distribution of political offices at all levels of governance.
“Zoning has become well established and accepted as a panacea for peaceful co-existence and inclusive governance of the diverse groups in the polity.
“Coming Back home to the case for Owo, consider the recent trend of rotation of office of Governor of present ondo state amongst the three senatorial zones.
“Chief late Adebayo Adefarati from Akoko South West in the Northern senatorial district was the governor between 1999-2003.
“Late Olusegun Agagu from Okitipupa local government in the southern senatorial ruled the state from 2003 till 2009 and Olusegun Mimiko from Ondo town in the central started ruling from 2009 and he will end his tenure by 2017.
“It means the rotation of Governor has gone full circle round the three Senatorial Districts and it should naturally come back to the North”.
They noted that if the governor is expected to come from the north, it should not be the town of Akoko as they have once ruled the state when the slot was considered for the district.
Apart from this, the people said Akoko had always been considered first in the political sharing in the district since 1999.
They listed some of the offices benefited by the Akokos as Deputy Governor, Deputy Speakers Chief of staff to President, Ambassadors, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministers, and even the current senator.
They, however, urged political stakeholders in the state, particularly those from Akoko to allow the town to produce the next governor of the state.
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