Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the political activities within communities across the nation continue to get heated up, and while the major attention is on the presidential election, however it’s worthy to examine within the political space in Ondo State, the Ondo Central Senatorial election.
Battle of the SANs in Ondo Central
This is an election that has been regarded as the battle of the Akures because the two leading candidates hail from Akure, the state capital. PDP’s Ifedayo Adedipe and Adeniyi Adegbonmire of the APC are both illustrious sons of the town. Since 1999, no indigene of Akure, the Ondo State capital, has been to the Senate.
Olatunde Ojo (ADC), Majasan Markins (NNPP), Jenyo Ayobami (NRM), Akinnola Akinyinka (SDP), Fagboro Dada (ZLP), and Obasuyi Afolabi (APP) are some of the candidates from other political parties.They are unlikely to have a significant impact on the election because there hasn’t been any communication from them since the electoral body approved the start of the campaign. The APC candidate and his PDP rival are the two front-runners in the contest.
Nonetheless while it is hoped that the people will be the ultimate decider of who will ultimately emerge the winner of the highly anticipated election, it would be a child’s error to undermine some of the key factors which will influence where the pendulum will eventually swing.
Chiefly among these factors is the obvious feeling among many Nigerians that they are tired of the APC led administration, one which has been identified with sufferings, corruption, insecurity among other not too encouraging factors.
This no doubt will take some votes off the table for the candidate of the APC, the recent election in Osun drives home this point.
Also, the Tinubu factor, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, will be seeking to sweep the southwest clean in the coming election, and given the manner in which the election is being arranged which sees both both Senatorial and Presidential election being held at the same time, it is most likely that the Tinubu factor might swing in some votes for its Senatorial Candidate.
Also, the place of money Politics which has become a major culture of our electoral cum political system, the APC will definitely be putting in a lot of financial support to ensure that it party emerges winner in the forthcoming election.
Badusi Oyeyemi Elizabeth writes from Akoko