35-year-old joins guber race

chika ebuzor

June 14, 2017 7:20 PM

Ajibade is the founder of an Ekiti-based NGO, Movement for the Development of Youths and Children (MDYC).

INEC Official

A 35 year-old Business Administration graduate, Mr Tosin Ajibade, on Wednesday expressed his interest to contest the 2018 gubernatorial election in Ekiti.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that Ajibade, until his declaration was a social entrepreneur and founder of an Ekiti-based Non-Governmental Organisation, (NGO) Movement for the Development of Youths and Children. (MDYC)

Ajibade hails from Ikere Ekiti, headquarters of Ikere Local Government area of Ekiti.

NAN reports that the governorship election in the state would hold in 2018 when the incumbent would have completed his second term of four years.

The incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose, was sworn-in on October 16, 2014 for a second term in office.

No fewer than 50 aspirants are currently jostling for the seat under the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress, while no aspirant has shown interest from other political parties.

In a statement signed in Ado Ekiti by Ajibade, he said that the inspiration to join the race was derived from emerging trends from across the globe.

“The main thing across the globe now is that the time has come for the youths to take over leadership from the elders.

“Look at France, a 39 year-old is currently their President, against all odds.”

He said he would be contesting as an independent candidate or under a less popular party, saying that he had no plan to join any of the big parties.

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“Older politicians had allegedly failed the younger ones, going by the way and manner they had continually paid lip service to the welfare of the people each time an election was over.

“We cannot continue to do things the same way, hence my belief in generational shift in our political landscape.

“What the Ekiti people deserve in the next political dispensation is a youth that can genuinely move the state from where it is to the next level.

“This is the youth resolution to usher in a new era of excellence, growth and true development

“My team is not preaching PDP or APC, it is time to do away with both and usher in a new breed of leaders, this is a divine agenda, an agenda of reform,” he said.

chika ebuzor