It is now history in Ondo state as the people massively voted for Dr Olusegun Mimiko for a second term in office whereby he recorded a landslide victory as the first governor to achieve this feat. It is now time for the governor to play his part by giving back to the Ondo people. GABRIEL EWEPU and BLESSING IKANI x-ray the election and the campaign promises made by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
The long awaited anticipations of the Ondo people came to a halt on the declaration of the incumbent governor, Dr Olusegun Rahman Mimiko of the Labor Party (LP), as the winner of the 2012 governorship election in Ondo state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governor, who is popularly called ‘Iroko’ by his admirers, became the first to win a re-election in the political history of Ondo state. It was not a surprise when friends, relatives, well wishers and the Ondo people came out en masse to celebrate with the people’s governor on his victory with a total vote of 260,199, while Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 155,961votes and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) emerged third with 143,512 votes. Mimiko won 15 out of the 18 local government areas of the state.
Akure, the state capital, came alive as supporters of Mimiko celebrated with huge pomp and pageantry on the streets, at home, even at places of worship, because their votes did count to usher in another phase of socio-economic development. Also, INEC was commended for the transparency and fairness in conducting the elections. Others who were commended include the law enforcement agents, the conduct of supporters of the candidates and the voters.
Meanwhile, Mimiko had visited the wards and constituencies in all the local governments of the state to campaign and convince the people to vote for his second term in office. He assured the people that if re-elected he has done in the past.
In one of his electioneering campaign rally in Akure, he said, “The gubernatorial election is not about the ego of any godfather. It is about the people of the state. In the last three and a half years, we have served you diligently and I have no doubt in my mind you will vote for us”.
“You know me I have always lived with you and I have served you as a commissioner, secretary to the state government and as a minister’’, he said.
The zeal of the people to vote grew stronger as they trooped out in large numbers on October 10, 2012 to vote for the man of their choice ‘Iroko’, not minding the harsh weather conditions and leaving their business and other serious engagements.
Some had to walk long distances to polling stations, while others in the riverine local government areas boarded boats to cross to the other side where there were polling stations to exercise their franchise. At the polling stations, the people of Ondo waited patiently for INEC officials, while also enduring hunger, thirst and the scorching sun, to go through the accreditation process before the voting could begin.
In some areas like the riverine Ilaje and Ese – Odo, Ojigbobini/Igboran Arogbo Ward 2 and? Ugbo Ward 2, the masses were worried as they were not able to vote for the candidate of their choice due to some logistic problems.
Politicians not keeping to their campaign promises after they are voted into power is a phenomenon in Nigeria today. When vying for a political position, they will promise the electorates elaborate welfare packages including infrastructures that would transform the lives of the people.
Politicians often make promises of providing jobs, good roads, pipe borne water, schools, electricity and investment in agriculture. But the question is; how many of them fulfill their promises after being elected? Instead of working for the people, they see it as an opportunity to steal public funds, establish their family, and amass wealth to the detriment of their people’s welfare.
It is imperative to remind Governor Mimiko of some of his campaign promises now that he has been returned by the votes of the ordinary Ondo citizens. He promised to provide a seaport at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje when voted into office for a second term.
According to him, the seaport would serve the western part of the country, provide jobs for unemployed youths, bring foreign investors and boost the economy of the state.
He promised to work for the people, manage the resources of the state, and bring social transformation through developmental projects to better the lives of the people and to make Ondo a leader in the comity of states.
“I promise to work for you and I have not looked back. In every sector of governance, education, health, transportation, urban renewal, agriculture, we have benchmarked programmes that are already serving as global and continental benchmarks”.
“We are doing it right; you don’t change a winning team. Our people are happier today than they were four years ago. We will continue to enhance the caring heart programmes. I desire to continue”, he said.
He further stated that he will provide social amenities for the development of the oil producing areas. In his analysis, he equally promised to provide schools to the less privileged in the society.
In his campaign tour to Ose Local government area, he assured the people of the state of his determination to revive the ailing industries and establish more with a view to provide jobs for the people and boost the state’s economy. He assured the people of the area of resuscitating the Ifon Ceramic Industry, which has become comatose.
According to him, steps are been taken to revive the moribund industry by his administration, adding that foreign technical partners have been brought in and works were on.
He assured that the company would begin production as soon as constant electricity supply was provided. Mimiko equally assured that there would be establishment of more industries in the state that would take youths off the streets in his second term in office.
The election has come and gone. Now is the time to give back to the people. It is time to prove to the Ondo people that the labor and love they’ve shown Governor Miliko is not in vain.
It is time to work hard to satisfy the desire of the masses by fulfilling all the election campaign promises.
Now is the time to fulfill them. Anything short of this will be a betrayal of the Ondo people’s trust and mandate. It is time to prove to the Ondo people what real democracy is. Also, Mimiko’s second term is expected to be an all inclusive and citizen-driven administration for the welfare and security of the Ondo people.