Ondo 2024: VAN Carpets Wike, Declares Support for PDP Candidate Agboola Ajayi

Ondo 2024: VAN Carpets Wike, Declares Support for PDP Candidate Agboola Ajayi

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Ahead of the Ondo State 2024 gubernatorial elections coming up on Saturday, the Victory Advocates of Nigeria (VAN), a significant mobilization group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has come out swinging against comments made by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Hon. Nyesom Wike.

In a statement made available to National Periscope on Friday, VAN reiterated its unwavering support for its gubernatorial candidate, Alfred Agboola Ajayi, while asserting that Wike’s recent remarks about the lack of personal endorsement sought by Ajayi are off base. 

“We acknowledge the comments made by Mr. Wike regarding our candidate’s journey, but we assert emphatically that such gestures are neither required nor should they be misconstrued as a measure of a candidate’s worthiness or capability,” stated Hon. Seyi Ajibola, the VAN National President. “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win.”

The VAN leadership, including National Publicity Secretary Comrade Musa Adamu and Ondo State Coordinator Hon. Gbonegun Babalola Omololu, emphasized Ajayi’s dedication. “Alfred Abgoola Ajayi is a man of principle, resilience, and commitment. He has demonstrated time and again his dedication to the people of Ondo State, and he carries a clear vision of progress that resonates deeply with the values of the PDP,” they declared collectively.

Highlighting Ajayi’s community-centric campaign approach, the leaders asserted that their candidate is focused on the people rather than seeking favors from influential party members. “His campaign stands as a testament to his selfless ambition to uplift every community within Ondo. What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?” they noted.

The statement continued with a direct appeal to the immediate former governor of Rivers State, reminding him of his political ascent within the PDP. “Mr. Wike, who has greatly benefited from the PDP, should give us room to breathe. PDP youths wish to climb the same ladder of progress,” they urged.

VAN therefore pledged its full support for Ajayi’s campaign. “The Victory Advocates of Nigeria firmly supports Alfred Abgoola Ajayi and pledges to marshal all arsenals to secure his victory in the upcoming elections. This mobilization is not just for Ajayi; it is for the future of Ondo State.”

The organization called on all PDP supporters nationwide to rally around Ajayi. “This is a decisive moment. We urge every PDP supporter, leader, and ally across Nigeria to unite in a powerful wave of support that will usher in a new era of leadership, accountability, and development under Ajayi’s stewardship,” the statement declared.

As the election draws near, the VAN leadership urged the people of Ondo State to focus on the core issues at stake and to remain undistracted by political infighting. They concluded, “Let Mr. Wike concentrate on his current responsibilities. The secret of getting ahead is getting started. Our focus as a party should be the reformation and transformation processes that lead us toward victory.”