Two candidates misses OSAWA debate

By Lere Owolewa

Reports have emerged on how the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) for Okitipupa state Constituency I & II were absent at the debate and interactive sessions organized by Ondo South Advancement and Welfare Consultative Association (OSAWA).

The two political parties candidates who are  Hon. Gbegudu Ololade, Chris Ayebusiwa, Akinsola Jimoh and  Kolawole Omotunde  were said to have been absent at the debate due to the fear of being lynched by the angry people of the two constituencies and their inability to stand before crowds and express themselves

Earlier last month, OSAWA had scheduled its debate and interactive sessions across Ondo Southern senatorial district and for all 2023 political office contestants of all political parties, starting with that of Okitipupa Constituency I & II on November 18 and 19, 2023

However, only the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) Hon. Timothy Ayesuwa came to the venue of the debate and interactive sessions among all the political parties candidates invited. The SDP candidate was left fuming having realized his co-contestants didn't show up

According to reports, some indigenous people of the local government have initially issued warnings to the candidates of the two major parties where they said those candidates would be ridiculed if they step into the local government during the weekend which made them stay away from the local government area. The anger of the residents of the area was said to be as a result of the failed promises the people have been given by the contestants in the two major political parties.

One of the residents of Okitipupa community who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the people were ready to correct the wrongs of the past by placing these politicians to where they belong, adding that they have not been useful to the people and the community.

Another resident of the local government area who also pleaded to be anonymous said the set of candidates that are paraded by both APC and PDP are not intellectually sound and could hardly express themselves in clear terms before the people, hence their absconding from the debate.

All efforts to speak with the leadership of OSAWA proved abortive due to the fact that none of the Executive members could be reached via phone call.