Ajayi snubs Ondo debate as Akeredolu, Jegede lock horns

As the nation ’ s political attention shifts to Ondo State for the October 10 governorship election , some candidates in the poll participated in a debate on Thursday evening to share their vision and sell their objectives to the people of the state .

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission , 17 political parties fielded candidates for the election but analysts have opined that the poll would be a three - horse race amongst the All Progressives Congress , the Peoples Democratic Party and the Zenith Labour Party .

Five candidates were invited to the debate organised by BBC News Yoruba and its partners but while Dotun Ojon of the Young Progressive Party , Adekunle Adeleye of the African Action Congress ; PDP ’ s Eyitayo Jegede and APC’ s Rotimi Akeredolu attended the virtual debate , the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party , Agboola Ajayi , was absent at the over two - hour debate .

Ajayi was elected on APC’ s platform in 2016 as Akeredolu ’ s running mate but the deputy governor defected to PDP earlier in the year when he fell apart with his principal . Ajayi later defected to the ZLP after he lost out at the PDP governorship primary .

Security, education , health and economy top agenda at the debate.

The YPP candidate criticised the Ondo State Security Network Agency codenamed Operation Amotekun and the law that created it . He argued that “ those who started it don’ t really understand it . ”

Ojon said if elected, he “ will create an arm within Amotekun Corps to address the serial kidnapping in the state . The section won ’ t use weapons but deploy technology to identify security threats per time and transfer the intelligence to the Nigeria Police Force . ”

Before now , Akeredolu had inaugurated the Amotekun Corps to tackle kidnapping , banditry , herdsmen attack , amongst other security challenges in the state .

Responding , the governor said the YPP candidate was ignorant of the law that created the Amotekun Corps , noting that intelligence gathering through the use of technology is an integral part of the operations of the security network.

Also , the PDP candidate said if elected, he will build police stations and army barracks in the localities notorious for crime in the state .

The former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state said he will activate the state Anti - Kidnapping Law that stipulates death penalty for murderers and life imprisonment for kidnappers .

Jegede , who was also the PDP candidate in 2016 , pledged to reduce the tuition paid by students of the Adekunle Ajasin University , Akungba Akoko .

Reacting, Akeredolu said his government had already reduced the tuition , noting that students of the varsity pay the same tuition as their counterparts at the Lagos State University .

Akeredolu explained , “ Ondo State can ’ t be different from other states in the country. At the beginning of my tenure , the university ’ s governing council increased the tuition and the students ’ representatives approached me.

“ I told them to go to all universities in the South- West and let me know wherever they pay lesser tuition than ours . They came back and sad the Lagos State University tuition was lesser and I told the governing council to put it at that . ”

On economy , Akeredolu promised to bring the proposed Ondo deep seaport to life if re- elected . He said the project would provide more jobs for the youths of the state , adding that his administration would consolidate on all its programme of action if re - elected.

The four candidates also pledged not to abandon any project started by the present government if elected.

Meanwhile , in a bid to ensure a violence -free election , INEC has said candidates of the 17 political parties contesting the governorship election would sign a peace accord Tuesday next week .