Ahead of the campaign for the November governorship poll in Ondo State, a member of the group of elders called the Aborigenes, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, has set a benchmark for all candidates in the elections.
He suggested that the candidates should consider giving priority to the four-point cardinal programme of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) of the second republic during the electioneering.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune on the November governorship poll in Ondo State, Ajasin said the parties and their candidates should focus on how to deliver quality education health care, employment, rural development and integration, as well as security to the citizens of the state.
He recalled that second republic governors elected on the platform of the UPN used the cardinal programme of the party to further boost the laudable achievements recorded in the defunct Western Region under the control of the then Action group (AG).
He emphasised that the candidates could include other progressive ideas that could help restore the pioneering place of the South-West, Ajasin.
He added that the candidates should use the UPN programmes to unlock the potential of the region and its teeming population.
He said: “You can’t fault that four-point cardinal programme of the UPN. It is classic and everlasting; if you follow it, you will make the South-West maintain its leading position in the scheme of things and everything concerning economic growth and development and human capital development.”
He cautioned the candidates against taking the people for granted during the electioneering because they had the history of quality, purposeful and committed leadership dating back to the first republic.
Ajasin expressed disdain over the indiscriminate use of money by some politicians during elections.
He said the trend was responsible for some elected individuals relegating to the background pre-election promises by candidates.
On the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the coming off cycle polls vis-a-vis criticisms by some stakeholders, he said: “INEC will continue to improve. There is no election that is perfect. So long as it continues to improve, things will be alright because there is no other body that is statutorily saddled with conducting elections. Besides, people have to be vigilant. The contestants as well, as their supporters have to vigilant to keep INEC on their toes.”
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