Ondo State Lg Elections: Battle Of Supremacy Between Gani Mohammed And Bunmi Tunji Ojo – Comrade Ayorinde Olorunda
GMA : 3
BTO : 1
Politics according to Harold Lasswell in his book published in 1936 defined politics as who gets what , when and how.
As we finally come to the end of the Ondo state LG elections exercise. We had to learn , unlearn and relearn as lives on its own is a lesson.
The Ondo state LG elections conducted across the state yesterday, January 18th , 2025 were largely peaceful except for Ajowa Akoko in Akoko North West LG. This Ward comprises Igasi, Eriti, Gedegede and Ajowa ; the registration area is Ward 5 .
The election in this particular ward yesterday was like war . Oleku ija ore. One will wonder how come the Governorship election was largely peaceful at Ajowa in November 2024 just barely two months ago and turned bizarre in the LG elections where there was no strong opposition from other political parties.
This is what happened. Like we say in the Yoruba parlace. Omo Eni ko ni s’edi beberi ka fi ileke si idi omo elomiran. Apparently, the councillorship candidate of the APC is from Ajowa which is the largest among the four communities that make up Ward 5 . Obviously, the people of Ajowa came out in mass to support their own Hon. Ajiboye Oluwatoye of APC.
The PDP candidate allegedly sponsored by the minister of interior Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (who is also from the same LG) through his loyalist and stooges in this Ward is from Eriti , a small village after Igasi along Ajowa – Omuoke road in Ekiti state.
The election was like a battle between the minister of interior a serving minister under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration who is strongly in support of the PDP candidate even though the state chairman of PDP in the state had written a notification of withdrawal from the election to the ODIEC, BTO as his popularly called continue to spend money to mobilise and canvers for the PDP against his own party , the APC.
On the other hand , we have Gani Muhammed Ajowa a Special Adviser to the governor of Ondo state Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa on Special Duties and Strategy. He’s from Ajowa , working tirelessly for the APC candidate, Hon. Toye. I never doubt GMA grassroots politics . I was astonished as the good people of Ward 5 , both young and old , male and female came out in mass yesterday to defend Gani, the APC and the governor. Power truly belongs to the people. Many thanks to the good people of Ajowa who did not allow the greediness of the few amongst us to put the entire community in the opposition party. Alale Ajowa yio gbe yin ooo. Ori ade mejo ti n be ni ilu Ajowa ko ni je ki oju o ti yin.
Recall, that Gani won the primary election into the HoR for AKNW/Akoko NE in 2019 but was shortchanged for BTO . Invariably Ajowa Akoko was shortchanged. How long are we going to continue to sell our birthright to an outsider for a plate of pepper soup(This is a story for another day)
Back to our discussion, if not for Gani, BTO would have successfully shortchanged the entire community for PDP just to disgrace the governor of Ondo state and ensure he spread his tentacles to Ward 5, but that was vehemently resisted by the good people of Ajowa Ward 5.
I am highly disappointed in BTO. This is a minister who we all rallied around him when he was fingered in the corruption case against Beta Edu. He who God’s wants to destroy………
I think Comrade Gani henceforth deserves the following titles.
1. The Arogunmasa of AKNW
2. The Jagunmolu of Ward 5
3. The Agba Akin and Asiwaju of Ajowa politics
Ti a ba ri Erin , ka so pe a ri Erin; ajanaku koja mo ri nkan firi. If you are big , you are big. Comrade Gani is big. Ariwo ko ni politics .
And to the few elements in Ajowa who are desperate to sell the community to BTO in exchange for a plate of porridge , they should be careful and repent going forward.
With Gani, Ajowa can go to bed and sleep with their eyes close. We are proud of you sir
Congratulations to Hon. Toye Ajiboye
Congratulations to the good people of Ajowa
Congratulations to the Ward 5 progressives
Congratulations to the governor of Ondo state
Ajowa Akoko O ni baje
I am Comrade Ayorinde Olorunda
A public affairs analyst written from Abuja FCT
