The Ponderous Power in making a CHOICE – by Gbenga Akinmoyo

One of the major attractions of the democratic style of government is the fact that it offers the people CHOICE and sometimes too many options or alternatives such that citizens are spoilt for choice.

But we civilians are often to quick to forget what it was like when the government was administered by the “Men in Khaki” where things were just forcefully shoved down our throats.

May we never return back to those dark days would be my prayer, even though I often feel there’s a true lack of appreciation for, Free Will and Choice.

The people of Ondo State have a choice to make in October 2020 of who will serve as their Governor from 24th February 2021 for the next 4 years. That choice, to be made in just over three months, will make or mar the future of this state in all spheres of life – including school fees; safety & security; unemployment & job creation; pallatives in pandemics; welfare of pensioners; health & medicare; governance but to mention a few from an endless list.

Before the people of Ondo State decide, the political parties must make a choice of who will be the candidate to carry their flag and my prayer is that, at the very least, we in the PDP will make that choice responsibly.

In 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2012, I am sure that the PDP made responsible decision to choose the best man for the assignment, which led to choice of late Dr Olusegun Agagu and Chief Olusola Oke SAN respectively. The fact that they were from the South Senatorial District must be viewed as a mere coincidence. Again, in 2016 PDP chose Jimoh Ibrahim also from the South Senatorial District up until 3 days to the elections when the interventions by the court handed candidature to Eyitayo Jegede SAN to fly the flag. I will humbly submit that the duo were the best choice for the job regardless what part of Ondo State they came from.

On each of those 5 occasions – 1999, 2003, 2007, 2012 & 2016 – PDP faced the Ondo electorate strongly believing they had fielded their strongest candidate, perhaps to a lesser extent in 2016 when the last minute change had substantially altered the party’s momentum.

The dark heavy cloud that has lingered over the 2016 elections on the real outcome of the elections became lighter today when the former SSG, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde (Abena) openly admitted in a LIVE radio programme that the PDP Candidate Eyitayo Jegede SAN actually won that election, but himself in collusion with others in APC stakeholders forced INEC to announce APC as winners. That is a confirmed signal of PDP acceptability amongst people of this state and an affirmation that our choice then was right.

Without mincing words, PDP is going to win the October 2020 Governorship elections, but we must once again field our strongest candidate who ticks all the boxes. And what are the criteria that should inform the choice of our Delegates?

We need a person who is a Tried & Tested Winner; a Trusted Party Loyalist; a man with Impeccable Credentials; a Dynamic Leader cloaked with Honour, Humility and Outstanding Mental Capacity; he must be God-fearing and possess excellent Administrative qualities as well as being a Strategic Planner; a man seen to have Diplomatic zeal for ploughing through the muddy waters of politics & governance.

The Choice is pretty obvious to the objective-minded PDP Delegate, choose responsibly.

Gbenga Akinmoyo (aka Hon GaRo) writes from Idanre.
6th July 2020

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