By Peter Dada
The Muslim community in Ondo State has declared support for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
Members of the community said they would be fully involved in the election and support Aiyedatiwa, who is also the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
At a meeting of members of the community held in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, the Chairman of the League of Imams and Alfas in the state, Alhaji Ahmad Aladesawe, offered prayers for a peaceful election.
The Baba Adinni of Owo Kingdom, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, said the Muslim community, just as it supported President Bola Tinubu, and he won the election, would give similar support to Aiyedatiwa.
He said, “As we stood by President Bola Tinubu during the presidential election, we are ready to do the same for Governor Aiyedatiwa.
“Let the governor be rest assured that the Muslim community is behind him. People once thought Muslims stayed out of politics, but with Governor Aiyedatiwa, we are prepared to be fully involved.”
The Grand Mufti of Ondo State, Alhaji Surajudeen Batuta, said Aiyedatiwa’s leadership was divinely guided.
“I believe it is God’s plan that Governor Aiyedatiwa should lead this state during this period.
“This election will be the most peaceful election in the history of the state, by God’s grace, and I am confident that the governor’s decision to appoint Muslims into political offices will bring positive results. He will not regret it.”
Responding, Aiyedatiwa thanked the Muslim community for the endorsement and expressed appreciation for their steadfast support and prayers.
He noted that their prayers had strengthened the administration since its inception.
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He promised that the Muslims across the state would not be deprived of their rights and privileges as he would operate an all-inclusive administration if elected.
“My administration values inclusivity and I am promising that everyone will be given equal rights, irrespective of religious differences,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, the PROMAD Infotech Foundation, has urged the people of the state not to show apathy but to come out en masse to vote on November 16.
It said the plea was necessitated by findings that apathy and low voter turnout characterised three previous elections in the state.
Speaking at a meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, a member of the Board of Trustees of PROMAD Infotech Foundation, Mr Banjo Ayenakin, said apathy could reduce the chances of the emergence of a popular and credible candidate.
Speaking on “Promoting citizens’ participation in the 2024 off-cycle Ondo State governorship election through data, advocacy and civic education,” Ayenakin said the issue of apathy was a task to deal with by all stakeholders in the state.
He said some of the research findings of the organisation showed that the “Independent National Electoral Commission published that 2,053,061 voters have been registered and validated to vote in the election.
“This figure appears huge, but the state has a history of low participation and turnout during elections, at least in the last three governorship election cycles.
“Mobilising the electorate registered to vote, according to INEC, remains a huge task that needs to be done by stakeholders.
“In the three election cycles (2012, 2016 and 2020) analysed, just as the state’s population, the number of registered voters has moved from 1,638,950 in 2012 to 2,053,061 in 2024.
“Declining participation and voting our analysis indicates that while voter registration had increased in each election cycle, it didn’t translate into more turnouts and votes on election days as accredited voters and total votes cast kept reducing in each election cycle.” (punch)
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