•  Endorses Jimoh Ibrahim, Donald Ojogo, Akjnruntan Abayomi
•  Akinjo’s third term agenda is unthinkable, insulting – Aiyedatiwa, Olusola Oke

His Imperial Majesty, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo, said on Sunday that he has sent words to his subjects particularly his Baales not to campaign or vote for any Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, especially the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Hon Victor Kolade Akinjo, and Hon Agboola Ajayi, the ex-deputy governor of Ondo State and the Senatorial Candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming general election on February 25, 2023, in Nigeria.

Starnews Nigeria reports that the Monarch joined other Leaders of the oil-rich Ugbo land in Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo State to condemn and reject in totality the third term agenda of Hon. Akinjo and the candidature of Hon. Ajayi, urging them and other candidates of the PDP not to come for his royal blessing or bother to campaign in Ugbo land.

The Ugbo stakeholders including the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Chief Olusola Oke, said that it is unthinkable for Hon. Akinjo to aspire for the third time, saying it was against equity between the two local governments of Iaje and Ese Odo that made up the Federal Constituency in Ondo State.

At the palace of Olugbo, the Candidates of the APC for Ondo South Senatorial District, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim CFR, House of Representatives in the constituency, Hon Donald Ojogo, and the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abayomi Akinruntan were unanimously endorsed by the Monarch and stakeholders of the Ugbo Kingdom.

Faulting the candidature of Akinjo who is a PDP candidate, Aiyedatiwa said, there’s the need to be fair to ourselves and there’s the need for natural justice, fairness and equity”, he said.

Oba Akinruntan said, “I have sent words to my subjects particularly the Baales not to campaign or vote for any PDP candidates in the forthcoming elections especially Kolade Akinjo and Agboola Ajayi. They must not get votes in my domain.

“My subjects had unanimously agreed that, for equity and fairness, the Arogbo-Ijaws from Ese-Odo Local Government should produce the next House of Representatives lawmaker for the federal Constituency. We have resolved that we are voting for all APC candidates from top to the bottom in my kingdom.

“I have openly endorsed APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are working for him assiduously to get the highest votes in our kingdom”.

“Also, we have endorsed the APC Southern Senatorial Candidate, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim CFR, House of Representatives Candidate for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Hon Donald Ojogo and APC House of Assembly candidate for Ilaje Constituency 1, Hon Abayomi Akinruntan,” the Monarch declared.

Speaking at the venue of the meeting, Starnews Nigeria reports that Chief Olusola Oke SAN, who hails from the oil-rich Ugbo land said, “Akinjo’s ambition is not just unthinkable, it is an insult on our people whose goodwill he used to return for the second time”.

Oke said, “we gave him our support as Ugbo people in 2019 when we the Ilajes were seemingly schemed out of the equation in the APC. We resolved to give him our votes because we felt it was not right for one Local Government, that’s Ese-Odo to have both Deputy Governor ( Agboola Ajayi ) and House of Representatives seat”.

“This time around, the equation does not favour Ilaje to have both the Deputy Governor and House of Representatives seat, we have resolved to instil natural justice, fairness and equity,” he said.