*Says he is the most experienced of all aspirants
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
A former Commissioner in Ondo State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, Chief Olusola Ebiseni has declared that the power of incumbency will not save the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from defeat in the November 16 gubernatorial election in the Sunshine State.
Chief Ebiseni made this declaration on Monday while answering questions from journalists shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party’s National headquarters, Wadata House, Abuja.
The deadline for the submission of the PDP expression of interest and nomination forms was yesterday.
The seven gubernatorial aspirants, who obtained the forms will be screened on Wednesday at the party’s headquarters by a committee headed by Senator Sam Egwu.
Chief Ebiseni, who is also the Secretary-General of Afenifere, a Yoruba Socio-Cultural organization, pointed out that the power of incumbency had never saved any administration from being defeated in Ondo State.
The governorship aspirant cited the example of the Alliance for Democracy (AD)-led administration of Governor Adebayo Adefarati between 1999 and 2003, which was defeated by Dr Olusegun Agagu of the PDP in 2003.
He equally cited the instance of the regime of Agagu which was defeated by Dr Olusegun Mimiko of the then Labour Party, LP. In
Saying that the Ondo State people do not support any party more than two term in office, Ebiseni expressed the firm optimism that the PDP will roundly defeat the ruling APC in the state in November this year.
Chief Ebiseni, while acknowledging that
all the contestants on the platform of PDP are qualified to become the governor of Ondo , pointed out that experience places him at advantage.
His words, “Let me say first, that all the contestants on the platform of PDP are qualified to become the Governor of Ondo state.
“But the little edge that I have, without being immodest, is based on my experience in the contest for the governor’s office and the understanding of the State.
About two years after my youth service. I became the Chairman of the old Ijaw local government on the platform of the SDP. Then,. I was about the youngest Local government chairman in the country.
“And since then, I have been in the politics of the state. I had served the state at three different times as commissioners, under different government.
“I was a member of the 2014 National Conference. So, I think, talking about experience and knowledge of the state, I think that stands me out among the buck of our aspirants”, he said.
