Ondo Governorship Election: Why The Cap Fits Mayowa Akinfolarin
Analysis
As the Ondo State Governorship election gathered momentum with
no fewer than 25 persons showed interest in contesting in the April governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one aspirant stood out as the right man for the job.
He is a former two-term member of the House of Representatives from Ondo State, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin who represented the Ile-Oluji Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency between 2015 and 2023.
This is based on his antecedents and precedents set in previous positions held in the State and at the National level as well as a well-articulated mission to move the Sunshine State to another pedestal of development and transformation.
He is no doubt, a grassroots politician who literarily has the political map of Ondo State on his palm and one of the very few politicians in Ondo State that can visit any political ward across the state and mention not less than 10 names of recognized politicians in each of the wards.
While in the Green Chamber, Akinfolarin served as the Chairman, of the House Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission and it is on record that he came up with lots of novel initiatives that eventually saw to the transformation and elevation of road administration and safety management in Nigeria to a level of international standards.
Also during his sojourn in the National Assembly, the former lawmaker demonstrated his passion for the development of Nigerian youths and women through sponsorship of the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund Bill. The very Bill was to provide regular start-off funds for Nigerian graduates who have undertaken the mandatory one-year NYSC program and equally have a flare for entrepreneurial ventures.
Akinfolarin equally left an indelible mark when he served as a two-term Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly during which he chaired the Cash Allocation Committee and this provided him the opportunity to prove his financial acumen as well as his utter commitment to prudence in financial management. It was at the same time that he also shouldered the responsibilities of Needs Assessment of the House, Budgetary Policy Formulation, and overseeing the Millenium and the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) activities, which were aimed at improving the welfare of children and women.
He replicated the same thing when he served as a board member of the Nigerian National Library. His efforts culminated in the construction of a modern National Library headquarters in Abuja. Thereafter the governorship hopeful, served as a member of the Upper Niger River Basin Authority where he also stamp his seal of hard work and dedication, and selfless service.
These positions have equipped
Mayowa for the office of Governor and he left no one in doubt when he recently declared his intention to run for the coveted seat, insisting that the state needed to be reconfigured.
Akinfolarin while declaring his intention to contest for the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo on the platform of the APC, said the state needed someone who would bridge the gap between the government and the people.
“Ondo state is full of potential, human and material alike. It is one of the most prosperous states in this country because we have so many things that can make us great.
“Ondo State is where 70 percent population is totally engaged in farming. But nobody is paying serious attention to that, all we are doing is bringing projects that will bring money for us, we must start paying attention to the informal sector where we have the majority of our people.
“Although we have so many people on the ground my own case is different. If you look at the state of affairs in the state, you will all agree with me that Ondo State needs to be reconfigured, we need to reconfigure the developmental structure of this state. Because there seems to be some gaps between the government and the people in recent times.
“I’m properly rooted in this state, so I know what it takes to govern the Ondo state and with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, some of us think that we need to come together to move this state forward.
“Based on my experience and antecedent, I have really navigated both the economic and political terrain of Ondo State, I know what governance is, and I know what can be done to give succor and hope to our people.
“People no longer have confidence in what the government is doing, we need someone to energize the system, we need someone to give assurance, we need someone to let us know that this government is our government,” he stated.
