The candidate of the Zenith Labour Paty in the October 10 governorship election, Agboola Ajayi, shunned the debate organised by BBC News Yoruba on Thursday evening.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Dotun Ojo of the Young Progressive Party, Adekunle Adeleye of the African Action Congress; PDP’s Eyitayo Jegede, and APC’s Rotimi Akeredolu attended the two-hour virtual debate.
The YPP candidate criticised the Ondo State Security Network Agency codenamed Operation Amotekun and the law that created it. He argued that “those who started it don’t really understand it.”
Before now, Akeredolu had inaugurated the Amotekun Corps to tackle kidnapping, banditry, herdsmen attack, amongst other security challenges in the state.
Responding, the governor said the YPP candidate was ignorant of the law that created the Amotekun Corps, noting that intelligence gathering through the use of technology is an integral part of the operations of the security network.
Also, the PDP candidate said if elected, he will build police stations and army barracks in the localities notorious for crime in the state.
The former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state said he will activate the state Anti-Kidnapping Law that stipulates death penalty for murderers and life imprisonment for kidnappers.
Jegede, who was also the PDP candidate in 2016, pledged to reduce the tuition paid by students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
Reacting, Akeredolu said his government had already reduced the tuition, noting that students of the varsity pay the same tuition as their counterparts at the Lagos State University.
On economy, Akeredolu promised to bring the proposed Ondo deep seaport to life if re-elected. He said the project would provide more jobs for the youths of the state, adding that his administration would consolidate on all its programme of action if re-elected.
The four candidates also pledged not to abandon any project started by the present government if elected.
