By Tola Ogundipe
Corpses of their dreams litter the walls and landmarks of Ondo State like lingering ghosts of a recrudescent ogre; from the lurid flyers and posters bearing their photographs to the grand, hasty ward meetings signaling their reemergence on the political turf, Ondo pulsates with the pockmarked dreams of a familiar band of perennial candidates for the state’s governorship seat.
Unlike the more worthy contenders, this posse of contestants has perfected the knack for throwing in their lot in the oft competitive race for Ondo’s number one seat.
The perennial governorship candidates, like the Energizer Bunny, just keeps going and going and rolling along –presenting an example, at every instance, from the high school civics class lessons that aver that in Nigeria, anyone can run for public office. The perennial governorship candidate is that individual who runs for — and loses — the race to the Government House at least twice, and then runs again. The political cycle is full of them although they are yet to make history by earning and commanding the applause of a listening and faithful electorate.
They seldom win the race and they vary widely in nature. Some are independent candidates who lack the support of the major political parties or members of alternative and weaker parties. Others could be conventional candidates who can consistently win a party’s nomination, but because their district is gerrymandered so that their party can never win a general election, the candidate likewise never gets elected thus these types are often pit-bulls on paper. Still others may characteristically run in primary elections for a party’s nomination and lose repeatedly.
In Ondo, some political candidates declare their bid for the state’s governorship seat at every general election, even in the full knowledge of their inability to win elections.
Ultimately, they use their candidacy to negotiate for certain perks or bribe from worthier candidates who wouldn’t want them to spoil their chances; sometimes, they contest purely for satire: to make a political statement, project unpopular political ideologies or platforms, or to take advantage of benefits accorded political candidates such as campaign financing and television advertising benefits.
As Ondo State approaches the 2016 election, these familiar contestants have joined the race for the gubernatorial seat in the state and as usual, the jostle is getting fiercer by the minute as several candidates representing several political parties engage in sizzling intrigues and maneuvers to wrest the mantle of leadership from the firm grip of the PDP.
Predictably, the whirlpool of Ondo politics has been witnessing new entrants just as the veteran aspirants have remained a recurring decimal. The latter characteristically appear undeterred from parading themselves as strong, electable candidates despite their repeated failure and rejection by the electorate in past electoral exercises. Nonetheless, these perennial aspirants have started parading Ondo constituencies and wards, in their desperate bid to upset the odds come the d-day, and emerge as the elected Governor of Ondo State.
The following is a list of such perennial candidates and worthier aspirants that actually stand a chance at winning the keenly contested Ondo governorship office: Some of the leading aspirants of the party are a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Mr. Segun Abraham, Chief Olusola Oke, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Olabimtan, Mr. Bode Ayorinde and Chief Bukola Adetula.
Others are Mr. Boye Oyewumi, Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, Niran-Sule Adesuyi, Foluso Adefemi, Dele Alade and Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who currently represents Ondo Central Senatorial District at the Senate.
