Agboola Ajayi, the governorship candidate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo state, has raised the alarm that the ruling APC was intimidating members of his party ahead the poll.
Ajayi, who disclosed this on Monday at the party’s Secretariat, in Akure during a meeting organized by the youth leaders of the party, however, said that no amount of intimidation will make the APC win the November 16th Ondo governorship election.
Ajayi said; “we have seen signals, we have seen their plans and we are not scared of any intimidation because this is our state, what is going to happen is that people will go out and vote, we are not scared of anybody. Once our people peacefully conduct themselves, you can’t take away their rights to vote for whoever they want to vote for.
“I have always advised them that they must not allow any reflection to frustrate them and they must conquer poverty and they will do that by their votes.
“We have prepared for them and we are ready for them, we would resist any act of the intimidation by any opposition in this state. Forget about the power of any incumbency, the power of masses is more than any incumbency power.”
The PDP governorship candidate, who also said he has conquered the poverty at the aged of 22, said there was nothing special about him than the interest and wellbeing of the people in the state.
He said; “I have conquered poverty at the age of 22 years and there is nothing special about me than you people of this state. Don’t allow any reflection to affect us.
“We should be able to take over of this state from its present state. I want to plead with you people to vote for the PDP, let us do the right thing so that we can have the best future for our children in this state.
“The PDP campaign this time around will turn around all the local government areas of the state for us to win, people are anxiously waiting for PDP. Don’t be intimidated, we owned this state together. Go out on November 16th to vote for the PDP and make sure your vote is count.”
Eddy Olafeso, the Ondo state PDP Campaign Council Chairman, in his remarks, said; “let me urge you, the youths and women to work together, we have been losing the election because we are not united. We all know that there is hunger in the land, APC has spoiled this country, while we PDP will continue to care for you people in this state and the country as a whole.
“For the last two weeks, we have committed ourselves to ensure that all the structures of the party across the state are brought to the awareness of the people with all our commitment towards the November 16, governorship election.
“Our party is back better no matter what anybody is seeing, but we can see the unity and the steadiness we are put into for the campaigns, we will be visiting all the entire units, wards and local government areas of the state.
“Our message is very simple, Nigerians should understand the suffering we are facing in this country by the ruling APC for the past 9 years, our people are no longer to pay school fees, children are dropping out of schools, there is no business, even the palliatives given by the President was stolen in Ondo state.
“No a single project in Ondo state for the past 9 years apart from the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa saying Ondo state is lucky to have him but I can tell you people that Ondo state is not lucky at all. We want to rewrite the history, we are confident that Agboola Ajayi will be a better option to lead the PDP revolution to bring the better life for our people.
“APC has pushed Nigerians to the wall, they have stolen enough and Nigerians are the owners of this country, not APC and we are ready to kick them out with their incompetence and inability to run a very blessed state for our people.”
Earlier, in his short remarks, Bakita Bello, the Ondo state PDP chairman, urged the youths to actively participate in the electoral process by voting for the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi to enable him and his running mate, Festus Akingbaso take Ondo state to its pride of place.
Bello, however, charged the electorate, particularly the youths to shun any form of inducement in casting votes during the election, especially through the selling and buying of votes.
Daodu Babatunde, the Ondo state PDP youth leader, who spoke on behalf of his co-youths from all the 18 local government areas of the state said; “We the youths are ready to work and vote for our candidate, we urge our leaders to support us, we must recognize the party structure. For this election, we are going to win.
According to him, “APC has failed us totally in this state and at the federal. We are ready to take over the government by November 16th, through our vote.
“I urge you all, my fellow youths to come together under the platform of PDP to restore the lost glory of the party, we will mobilize from ward to ward to vote for PDP.”
They, however, appeal to the PDP governorship candidate, Ajayi to make 65 per cent of youths in his cabinet if emerges as the winner of the governorship election.
