The National Chairman of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Ajuri Ahmed has said major political parties are meeting to form an alliance that will dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Ahmed was in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to present the party’s flag to the candidate of the party, Hon Olugbenga Edema, and his running mate, Dr Rotimi Adeyemi, ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
Ahmed said he was part of the talk to form a coalition that would stop the ruling APC from continuing in office beyond the 2027 elections. He also advised political parties to stop agents of the ruling party from causing rifts in their respective political parties.
However, he said the NNPP would go ahead as an individual political party if the coalition fails to agree on modalities of working together. His words ” Our door is opened for any coalition ahead of the 2027 election. And that if it doesn’t work, our party is capable of standing on its own.”
Ahmed also raised the fear that the APC may want to manipulate the November 16 governorship election in the state. He, however, said the party would vote and protect its votes from manipulated.
His words, “The fear that the ruling party may want to manipulate the election to their favor was not negotiable as this fear is expressed everywhere because the ruling party did not want any strong opposition party around them. It is left for them to protect their vote on that day, having credible agents on the ground that would represent the party very well before, during, and after the election.
Ahmed said he didn’t believe in the fear that the ruling party was trying to turn the whole country into a one-party State. He said the opposition party should not allow interference in their party so as not to cause acrimony among them.
He said the only way to solve this problem was for other parties like NNPP to maintain their integrity and ensure that they remain one before, during, and after the election to stop the ruling party from turning the country into one political party before the 2027 election.
Speaking after he received the party’s flag, Edema said his administration would provide free and compulsory education for students across the educational board in the state.
His words ” If I win, there shall be no tuition fees in all our primary, secondary, and tertiary schools in Ondo State. You should not fear the APC but dare them by voting massively for his party and asking the people to stay by your votes would count this time around.”
Edema said his administration would implement a seven-point agenda tagged ‘Ondo’s Divine Agenda’ for the benefit of people if elected in the next month’s election.
According to him, the people of the state would enjoy free health services for all citizens and support and promote policies for the autonomy of the local government administration to enhance wealth creation and sustainable development.
He said the rural communities would be given accelerated attention to stop the rural-urban drift, which has affected food production and increased insecurity.
Edema promised improved security using modern technology and equipment to tame crimes and criminality in the state. He explained that youth development and women empowerment through agriculture, creative industry, and massive industrialization would boost the state economy and create massive jobs among the youth to be useful for themselves, family, the state, and the nation at large.
Also, he promised the creation of functional and self-sustaining cities for the development of the state.
He said his administration would be accountable to the citizens if elected, unlike the present administration in the state and the country.
