Ondo 2020: Why Jimi Odimayo Is The Best Among The Rest
-Sets 5-Point Developmental Agenda to reposition the State-Gets Boroffice Support to defeat incumbent
By Olaseeni Oyesusi
An All Progressive Congress (APC) grassroots politician and Governorship Aspirant, Prince Jimi Odimayo has assured the people of Ondo state good and qualitative governance. He said this shortly after he obtained his Expression of Interest and Nomination form at the APC National Party Secretariat in Abuja. In his words, I, Prince Okunjimi Odimayo, Governorship aspirant on the platform of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the October 10, 2020 Governorship Election in Ondo State, stand before you and our God today to make the pledge of good and qualitative governance if elected governor of our darling Sunshine State come February 24, 2021.As a youth and the youngest aspirant ever to the exalted position of Governor of Ondo State, Odimayo said that his priority and emphasis would be mainly on a 5-Point Developmental Agenda: Education, Quality Healthcare, Infrastructural Development, Mechanized Agriculture Industrialization, and Good Governance.As we all know, education is our major industry and vocation in Ondo State since the creation of the state in 1978, and which has been our main strength for a goal for modern human capital development and deployable for modern agricultural and other industrial businesses and enterprises.We shall guarantee improved funding far and above of what is obtainable in the incumbent, as we promise a judicious use of resources for free and compulsory education at Primary and Secondary levels in Ondo State just like the days of our late progressive leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Pa. Michael Adekunle Ajasin. We will further reduce drastically, the exorbitant tuition fees currently been paid in all the State owned tertiary to stop the mass withdrawing episode of our undergraduates from our institutions caused by inability of many parents and guardians to pay the new high fees.On Healthcare, the grassroots politician said we shall make them healthy and wealthy (Ondo state people) by providing high quality and comprehensive healthcare services at all the 203 wards across the 18 council areas of the State, with necessary attitudinal change of healthcare personnel, health education, women empowerment and the provision of workable Ondo State Health Insurance Scheme (ODHIS) for a highly subsidized and affordable, yet high quality Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Healthcare services in line with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and National Health Act guidelines.Speaking further on infrastructural development, Odimayo stressed that we shall as a matter of necessity, change the economy statue of Ondo State from the current Civil Service driven to an industrial hub and next destination for heavy industrialization. We will intensify all efforts towards the provision of Power (plus Rural Electrification); Portable Water; Roads; Bridges; Affordable Housing; Lobby for Rail link to Ondo State; and a dedicated Cargo Seaport, in our effort to lay down an enabling environment for industrial growth and infrastructural development. We will seek alternative solar and other renewable and cleaner forms of energy or power generation in collaboration with domestic and international private sector investors with Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.As an agrarian state, we shall expand our coast in Agricultural cultivation through a well focused and planed Mechanized farming all over the state. We shall engage our people in Agriculture and Industrialization with simple, modern and affordable mechanized farm implements under a programme of deliberate Integrated Rural Development with small/medium scale businesses to reverse rural urban drift of our youths and to provide massive employment opportunities with the development of whole value chains for several identified revenue yielding crops.Jimi also promised that the people of Ondo state will witness good governance par excellence if he is elected as their Governor. He said, We shall ensure good governance with incorruptible leadership, financial accountability and discipline. Every naira that comes into the state coffers will be judiciously and fairly used for all the eighteen local government areas development without any special favour. We shall maintain law and order, adequate security and put our state on the top of the list as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.While addressing women leaders of APC and other women groups across the 203 wards in the 18 local government areas of the state at a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital recently, Odimayo lamented the hardship mothers, parents and guardians face on payment of school fees of their wards currently in the state government owned higher institutions where a student pays as much as N250,000 in an academic session, stressing that it remains the responsibility of any people oriented government to fund education.He said, I am not going to agree with the excuse of the present administration to so much increase the tuition fees to the level where large population of students are, on daily basis, withdrawn from our universities owning to the exorbitant fees being paid in these institutions.We are making university education compulsory for every youth in the state, as a tool to accelerate rapid development in all sections of human endeavours. This is where it becomes very important to increase the budgetary provision for the education sector in line with the recommendations of UNESCO, rather than shifting huge financial burden on the people.That is why my first pronouncement as the elected governor on February 24, 2021 will be the announcement of total free education for both primary and secondary schools in Ondo state and instant reduction of tuition fees in the two state government owned universities to N30, 000 per session, across all the courses of study.We are also going to ensure that we give our women real poverty eradication programme and empowerment. The women will take a large portion of representation when forming our cabinet and other important sections of the administration and governance.So, the practice of using women as only campaign tool has to be stopped by allowing them to take very important roles to assist in our quest to make better life for our people.Meanwhile, Ambassador (Mrs.) Folake Omojuwa, who led the various women groups to the meeting, has assured the governorship aspirant their total support. She confessed that his kindheartedness, good gestures to the poor, high moral values, youthfulness and genuine interest to serve the people of the state, attracted the women to Odimayo.She said, Right from this moment, all the APC women in the state have resolved to immediately withdraw our support from the incumbent, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and shift all our attention, energy, time, support, prayers and comments to project Jimi Odimayo for Governor, which by Gods grace will come to fruition by February 2021.We are from now, going to go all out for the campaigns in the markets, churches, mosques, towns meetings, clubs meetings, in our families and every of our daily engagements as wives, mothers, civil servants, businesswomen and traders.This is our project, and we are going to diligently, faithfully and with all the powers vested on us as women by God, pursue and project until Prince Jimi Odimayo is sworn in as our next governor.She however hailed the aspirant for his love for the women fold, through his empowerment programme over the years, and his promise to reduce tuition fees for students in both AAUA and OSUSTECH to N30, 000, stressing that the singular action will go a long way to relief the hardship women are currently facing, as many of them are the breadwinners and guardians.Consequently, the Deputy Senate Leader and senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Prof Ajayi Boroffice has thrown his weight behind Prince Jimi Odimayo ahead of the October 10 Governorship election in Ondo State.Boroffice said Ondo State needs a redeemer who will sanitize the fouled political atmosphere of the state and cause fresh air into the political space.Speaking to newsmen, Boroffice said, I congratulate Prince Jimi Odimayo for achieving the milestone of obtaining the Ondo State governorship nomination form of our great party for the July 20 primary election. To the best of my knowledge, Prince Jimi Odimayo is the first aspirant among all the aspirants from the Unity Forum to achieve this milestone. This feat clearly underscores your sincerity of purpose and confidence.It is instructive to note that I had appealed to all aspirants in the Unity Forum to come together in order to present a flag bearer for the forthcoming APC governorship election. This idea has not been achievable because of incurable optimism of aspirants as no aspirant is willing to step aside for the other.Therefore, I decided to consult some elders, youths and women across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State. They have given me the nod to identify with a credible aspirant who represents our aspirations, collective interests and hope for a more prosperous Ondo State. Wide consultations showed that majority of our people desire a man who will manage the vast natural resources of Ondo State and transform our struggling economy to a viable economy.Our people desire a man who believes and embraces the fundamental principles of democracy. Not a man who runs a consanguineous government that is for the family, by the family and of the family. Majority of party members desire a man who has not only demonstrated absolute loyalty to the party but also willing to run an inclusive government.Our people desire a man with a lofty height of maturity and whose candour and utterances will reflect the dignity of his office and respect the sacredness of our traditional values and institutions.Having considered the educational credentials, business activities, development plans, party loyalty profiles of aspirants and consulted party leaders and members across all levels, I have decided to support Prince Jimi Odimayo as a preferred aspirant to emerge as the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State.Prince Jimi Odimayo epitomises the philosophy of the Not Too Young To Run. He is young and vibrant. From a humble background, he achieved success by dint of hard work as a self-made man. He has the capacity to cause an industrial revolution, tackle unemployment, create a business-friendly environment and deliver other laudable initiatives.”It is Rare and Uncommon to see a Courageous, Bold, Confident and Youthful Nigerian of Close to 39 Years of Age to Stake his Millions in the name of Governorship Nomination Form. The Act alone is evidence that the Boy is Able, Capable, Reasonable, Reliable, Presentable and Sellable to Deliver the Masses from the Hands of Political Gluttons who had for years taken over our Political Space. I give it to Omooba Jimi Odimayo, and God Almighty will Support him.Finally, I call on all my political associates and supporters in Ondo State to rally round the governorship aspiration of Prince Jimi Odimayo. Likewise, I call on all the youths in Ondo State to support the fast-moving youth movement that will elect one of them as Governor. In the circumstance that my generation is ready for a paradigm shift in Ondo State, the youths need to own the struggle and deliver the win.Prince Okunjimi John Odimayo was born in Ode-Irele, Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State on the 26th August, 1980. For his primary education, he attended Anglican Primary School, Ode-Irele, and from there to Arerin Grammar School, Ode-Irele where he had his senior school certificate. Young Jimi later proceeded to the Yaba College of Technology where he obtained his National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Accountancy. As if that is not enough, he holds a Masters Degree in Corporate Finance from the University of Liverpool.An Associate Member of the Institute of Shippers, Odimayo started working as an accounts officer at Arcon Petroleum PLC in 2008 and quickly got promoted to the position of Head of Finance in 2009. In 2010, he became the Chief Finance Officer at Somerset Energy Services and was later absorbed by Bellpoint Energy Limited from 2011 to 2013 as the companys Head of Trade, Finance and Operations.Odimayo also served as Head of Commercial Services at Addax and Oryx Group Nigeria between 2013 and 2014. He is currently the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Arowolo Group, a company with subsidiaries such as Arowolo Oil and Gas Limited, registered to market Petroleum Products across Nigeria, and which comfortably boasts of no fewer than nineteen (19) Retail Outlets; Arowolo Transport and Logistics Limited, a company registered to deliver efficient logistics support across petroleum depots in Nigeria with the objective of servicing Arowolo retail outlets; and Arowolo Agro-Allied limited, registered to carry out commercial agriculture with special interest in fishery and oil-palm processing. This particular subsidiary has its commercial farm scheme in Lagos. Others on the list of the subsidiaries are Arowolo Resorts Limited, registered to deliver hospitality services across the country; Navaho Petroleum Limited, and Arowolo Royal Foundation which is the corporate social responsibility arm of the group. The foundation is a non-profit organization through which this entrepreneurial whizkid intervenes in meeting the needs, yearnings and aspirations of the less privileged in the society. In this connection, he (Odimayo) gives schorlaships for education, offers health assistance to the sick, empowers the youths and the aged, including the widows, and what have you.When a man has been blessed by God and he is ready to share his blessings with his people, the opportunity should be accorded. He has such a strong feeling for humanity that promotes the spirit of his philanthropic ideals. Odimayos resolve to at all times extend hands of fellowship whenever it is needed in his best capacity has continually been a source of blessing to indigenes of Ode-Irele, home and abroad, Ondo State and Nigeria at large. Today, Jimi Odimayo has shown his interest to contest for the governorship position of the state on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He has vowed to reduce tuition fees in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, (AAUA) and Ondo State University of Science and Technology, (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa to N30, 000 on February 24, 2021 as his first pronouncement after his swearing-in as the elected governor of the state.More importantly, he has promised to make Ondo State an industrialized state to reduce to the barest minimum the rate of joblessness and unemployment in the sunshine state. Odimayo is ready to take the state to an enviable height; he has prepared himself for the task ahead and equipped to give the state what it takes to make Ondo state a cynosure of all eyes at the comity of states in Nigeria.On this note, we have different aspirants working and scheming to be the first citizen of the state comes 24th February, 2021, but Prince Jimi Odimayo is the best among the rest.
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