It is recorded in the writings of King Solomon, that “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom”. For Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, the fear of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is the beginning of wisdom, ahead of the 10th October, 2020 Gubernatorial Election.
The Governor, as a result of the fear arising from the well organised Ward and Local Government Congresses of the PDP had to hide under the cover of ravaging Coronavirus pandemic to subtly thwart the State Congress scheduled for Tuesday, 24th March, 2020.
Sufficient precautionary measures were already in place, in terms of delegates being grouped into clusters of 30 persons, nose masks, sanitizers and adequate security were all in place. But in the Governor’s meddlesomeness, his fears took a better part of him, and had to use arm-twisting tactics.
On Saturday, 21st March, 2020 Akeredolu did not remember Coronavirus when he went to Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government to lay the foundation of a private University, gathering more than two hundred persons.
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Immediately the PDP postponed the State Congress, Barrister Rotimi Olorunfemi, ODIEC Commissioner in charge of Media and Publicity, told Journalists in Akure that, the April 18 Local Government Elections will not be postponed. And that measures are in place to ensure that not more than twenty persons will not be at the Polling Unit at a time.
Apparently, the Commissioner was acting the script of his Pay Master. Otherwise, he would have known that, there are Polling Units with more than one thousand registered voters. And in most cases in order to monitor their votes, hundreds of persons gather to ensure nothing funny happens.
How will Akeredolu situate his so called proactive measure of containing the virus, and his declared intension to proceed with the Local Government Elections? Or his visit to Jimoh Ibrahim, owner of the University? Of course, the PDP will not participate in such a charade in the name of election, but the hypocrisy and double standard of the Ondo State Government is baffling.
If the PDP, out of consideration for safety of Ondo State people postponed its State Congress, it will amount to barefaced intolerance and insensitivity with the present situation in the country to proceed with the Election.
Finally, whether Akeredolu acts from fear or ignorance, his time in Government House Alagbaka is over. What is keeping him there is the Constitution which gives him a four year tenure that expires on 24th February, 2021.
*He should stop playing Politics with the lives of our people.*
He should borrow a leaf from the PDP that had suspended their Congress in the meantime to comply with internationally advised standards for mitigation of the Corona virus spread.
Study @ Achievers University
