With 12 days to the forthcoming November 16 off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, the standard-bearers of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, faced off in a governorship debate organized by Channels Television on Sunday night.
While presenting their agendas for the people of the state for the next four years, the two frontline candidates, both of whom previously served as deputies to the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, were at each other’s throats during the two-hour debate, countering each other’s plans for the state.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that the safety and security of the people of the state would be his primary mandate, adding that the state’s economy would be given priority.
The governor, who accused Ajayi of lacking the experience to govern the state, stated that Ondo State under his watch is already taking advantage of the power devolution by the federal government.
Additionally, Aiyedatiwa maintained that with the current composition of the Amotekun Corps, the security outfit is ready to transform into a state police force.
“Amotekun can trace crime to its root cause, and the corps is ready to transform into a state police force.
“There is nothing like a N1.2 billion security vote. That is a lie from the pit of hell. Security votes are a security issue, and I can’t reveal them.
“There are industries in Ondo State, such as the Linyi industry, where they convert cassava to ethanol and make textile materials. We also have industries that turn cocoa into chocolate, which are being exported.”
For the PDP standard-bearer, Ajayi, the legacy of their late boss, Akeredolu, had been destroyed by Aiyedatiwa.
While vowing to strengthen the security outfit if elected as governor, Ajayi also claimed that Aiyedatiwa had turned a blind eye to the economy and the education sector.
Ondo guber debate: Aiyedatiwa, Ajayi disagree over N1.2 billion security vote, governance
Last modified: November 4, 2024
