By Kayode Fasua
In an unprecedented manner, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State stormed the ancient town of Owo amid tumultuous crowds of supporters on Wednesday, in continuation of his campaigns for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Owo is the hometown of the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), who was Aiyedatiwa’s immediate predecessor.
Various APC groups had been mobilised to receive the governor under the aegis of Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC), led by its Director-General for Owo Local Government, Dr. Adeyemi Olayemi, widely known as Koko.
Olayemi’s LACO-FSIC team was also complemented by Wumi Network group, floated by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowumi Isaac.
Both Isaac and Olayemi hail from respective Owo communities and are widely believed to enjoy great followership among the locals, a factor considered as a cutting edge for Aiyedatiwa in his quest to secure the APC governorship ticket, come Saturday, April 20, 2024.
It was observed that markets and other businesses were voluntarily closed down by their operators, in the ecstasy to welcome Aiyedatiwa.
The governor’s eventual arrival Wednesday evening, set the entire community aglow, as musical renditions of various genres rent the air.
Rationalising the rousing welcome of that magnitude, Olayemi said, “Our people had taken time to understudy Governor Aiyedatiwa since he took over from the late former Governor Akeredolu and they saw in him, innocence, sincerity, and the burning passion to improve on the welfare of the people.
“Despite all the lies some political detractors told against Mr. Governor, the people took their time to know the man called Aiyedatiwa and they discovered that he is a direct opposite of the negative character they tried to portray of him, in malice.”
Olayemi assured that APC members in Owo, would come out en mass and vote for Aiyedatiwa, noting that the LACO-FSIC in Owo had been working closely with the party leaders and their members both at the council and ward levels.
Meanwhile, Governor Aiyedatiwa had during the campaign tour of Owo, thanked the people for extending the love they had for his boss, the late Akeredolu, to him.
He assured of building on Akeredolu’s legacies and also listed his various achievements in less than 100 days in office, noting that better days are ahead for Ondo State people.
On hand with Aiyedatiwa for the campaign tour were the deputy governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, a reverred indigene of Owo, and several other APC leaders.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, during the tour, had earlier paid homage to the paramount ruler of Owo kingdom, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, who prayed for his victory and also offered him a symbolic royal sceptre.
- Fasua is State Director of Information, Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC)