The race for a better and robust representation for the of Ondo North senatorial district kicked-off on Wednesday with the official declaration by the young and enterprising Chief Alexander Oluremi Ajipe, to contest the senatorial election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Investment Consultant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Managing Director of Click Connect Limited said that he joined the senatorial race under the All Progressives Congress to lead the people out of darkness.

Chief Ajipe said he would focus on human capital development to curb crimes and unemployment if elected.

Ajipe, who spoke at Owo, Owo local government area, where he declared his intention to run for the senate, said he had voted for the incumbent Senator Ajayi Boroffice three times and that it was the turn of Boroffice to vote for him in next year’s general election.

Addresing the large crowd of supporters, Ajipe said, “Our leader has access to so many opportunities at the center, but cannot boast of a single thriving industry to employ youths and women.

“I drank stream water here, walked barefoot here. The story had remained the same. Deceit upon deceit and unkept promises.

“Darkness is when our leader has all the money in the world, and our people have grown poorer and poorer over the years.

“Darkness is when our leader has become over-confident, saying that he knows people, and will have the results of a Primary written in Abuja like he usually does, and there is nothing anyone can do about it because he is the godfather of godfathers! What do we say to this? We have God the father,”

With the loud cry by people for a better representation, Ajipe described his ambition as a child of necessity, noting that the reason for fresh start in Ondo North Senatorial district informed his decision to join the race.

In his speech titled, “The Exigencies of a Fresh Start”, Chief Alexander Oluremi Ajipe, the Irawo Ola of Yoruba Kingdom & Chairman, Ibi Giga Ambassadors explained that his decision is based on his commitment and passion to drive positive transformation to the Ondo North Senatorial District.

According to him, “I am not a stranger to service. I do not come to lead you, to promise you what is not in my character or antecedents! I have come to tell you that I have served tremendously well, with what God has given me, and the opportunities that men and women have put at my disposal.”

“With little compared to what others have gotten, I have surpassed so many who have got immeasurable resources, and have unlimited access to wealth.”

While making reference to some of his giant strides in the economic sector of the state and beyond, he assured the people of a better, robust and a better future if given the opportunity, promising that his programmes would be people-oriented and aimed at delivering on all the deliverables with direct impact on the people.

In his words, “I have brought investors and investments to Ondo State. All these cannot be ignored or played down. The President, Governors, Expatriates, Distinguished Personalities across Nigeria and all over the world have recognized the great light that God has caused to shine in Ondo State, through me.”

While assuring the people of his determination to turn around the furtune of the senatorial district, Ajipe called for the support of party members and the people to give him the much-needed push to ensure that the mandate of the electorate is acquired

Expectedly, a huge crowd of supporters and APC members from the sic local government areas of the senatorial district turned out to give their support to a man who has contributed so much to the development of the state, especially in the last four years.

FULL TEXT OF HIS DECLARATION

THE EXIGENCIES OF A FRESH START

Declaration Speech by Chief Alexander Oluremi Ajipe, the Irawo Ola of Yoruba Kingdom & Chairman, Ibi Giga Ambassadors, on the occasion of his Declaration of Intent to Contest the 2023 Senatorial Election, at the historical Mapo Hall in Owo local Govt on the 30th March 2022.

Protocols
Leaders and Members of our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC)
Our elders, so full of experience and wisdom
Our dynamic, vibrant, forward thinking Nigerian Youth
All distinguished members of our constituency, old and young, full of hope and patienceMembers of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen.

The people, it is with a great sense of honour, privilege and responsibility that I stand before you today, to declare my intention to represent you in the Nigerian Senate.

I have gone round the whole 72 wards of Ondo North Senatorial District, talking to the old and young, kings and chiefs, community and political leaders and followers, both politically and nonpolitically inclined personalities. I cannot but say that I have seen things as they are and I have listened to the genuine agitations, sentiments, readiness, while observing the limitations and strengths.

I am therefore filled with honor and gratitude to God Almighty for today, and for the dark hours when we never believed that we could one day have the chance to submit ourselves for service. I want to appreciate my mother, my wife, my children and my partners and friends all over the world. I also ask that you all please, help appreciate His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, who we love to call Aketi, for his leadership, his courage and the opportunities he has given us.

We hope to continue to make him proud as we reinforce that a better society is possible. Our Distinguished and beloved Arakunrin will forever be respected and appreciated. The first family is a great asset to the state, and they have outstanding legacies we hope to build on.

I grew up and was nurtured from here so I can say that I am a true son of the soil. Over the years and in the course of my life, I have faced the same challenges you have faced both as a child and as an adult. I have drunk from the same streams, and eaten from the same sources- and if God in His infinite mercies and enabled me to be in a position where I can contest to represent you, my people, in the Nigerian Senate, I consider it a great honor and privilege!

It is said that we do not have anything except that which God Almighty has given us, and I do not take this privilege for granted. People can get carried away with wealth and position because they think that they achieved them by the works of their hands and their wisdom and schemes, and this is why they lord their leadership over their fellow men and women, but this is neither my person, nor my style.

God has raised me from a low life. From a man who once waited by the roadside and watched cars pass, wondering if God would please, in His infinite mercies, give me the least of them. I have wondered if I could ever build a house so small, but God is not man, and He has raised me above the limitations of birth and environment. I give Him the respect and acknowledgement, and I believe that He did it for many reasons, chief of which is the service of God and man, and this is the purpose for which I present myself today!

I am not a stranger to service. I do not come to lead you, to promise you what is not in my character or antecedents! I have come to tell you that I have served tremendously well, with what God has given me, and the opportunities that men and women have put at my disposal. With little compared to what others have gotten, I have surpassed so many who have got immeasurable resources, and have unlimited access to wealth.

All I have come to say today, in summary, is that with little, I have done so much, and if you, THE PEOPLE, with whom great power lies, can give me the opportunity to do more, then you will see A Fresh Start, and you will see growth, development, and positive change than you have ever seen before in our constituency.

I have employed youths in their many hundreds and created employment opportunities for youths in their thousands! With the help of God, I have paid school fees and given scholarships that I have lost count of! I have paid rents for people I cannot count! I have met so many needs I cannot remember, both to familiar persons and to total strangers. God has given me a heart for the wellbeing of humanity!

I have brought investors and investments to Ondo State, so significantly, they cannot be ignored or played down. The President, Governors, Expatriates, Distinguished Personalities across Nigeria and all over the world have recognized the great light that God has caused to shine in Ondo State, through me.

Even the representative of the divine, the Ooni of Ife saw this light and capped me the Irawo Ola of Yoruba Kingdom, an epic declaration of divine proportions. I have come to humbly present myself to you, to let me represent the true light of God, and bring it to bear upon our constituency. Darkness is a state of settling for mediocrity!

Darkness is a state of Princes walking on bare foot, while servants ride on horses! Darkness is a state where the people, the true kings and queens with whom power resides, cannot feed, are unemployed, cannot pay their basic bills or meet their basic needs, cannot go to the farms, even when they want to, cannot send their children to school or pay their school fees, cannot enjoy basic infrastructure and amenities, and yet have had a representative, who has been elected to serve them, spend about two decades in a position of power, with great responsibilities and little deliverables and dividends.

Darkness is when a tree has grown so great and covered the young shoots, without letting them grow or breathe. Darkness is when your representative goes for many years, disrespects your elders and rulers, and discredits the young ones, but comes back close to elections, every electioneering season, to share handouts, and ‘mend fences’ yet keeps getting away with it…
Darkness is when our leader has access to so many opportunities at the center, but cannot boast of a single thriving industry to employ youths and women.
Darkness is when our roads are worse than when our representative began leading us.
Darkness is when our leader has all the money in the world, and our people have grown poorer and poorer over the years!
Darkness is when our leader has become over-confident, saying that he knows people, and will have the results of a Primary written in Abuja like he usually does, and there is nothing anyone can do about it because he is the godfather of godfathers! What do we say to this? We have God the father!!!
Darkness can sometimes come in the colour of light! This is where we have to be careful.
They have boasted that they know how to deceive the people and get away with it. Where they cannot use religion, they will use zoning!
They say that we are the underdog, that we have no backing that as a matter of fact, our backs have been broken, our privileges have been withdrawn and our resources have dried up! They say “let us see how he will make it”, forgetting that there is a God in heaven, who sees the heart, knows the intention of man, and knows how to reward loyalty even when man forgets!
But what do we say to darkness? We say that the light is here, and darkness must flee!
Irawo De! Imole De!! Idera De!!! Okunkun Parada!
It is on the backing of God, God’s love for the people, and our people’s love for us on the streets, the market places and the places of worship that we stand. Truly, it has not been easy coming this far. But I am here, presenting myself to God and to the people. Today, I make these promises before God and you:

That I will serve you!
That I will help your children and your elderly ones.
That your youths will see me and interact with me as one of their own;
That I will continue to be humble and approachable;
That I will represent you and stand for the truth, helping you make laws for your benefit and the improvement of our society
That your voices will be heard through me;
That industries will grow again in this constituency;
That I will open this constituency to opportunities for the young and old, like never before!
That you will be able to sleep with both eyes closed, and that our farms will be safe and profitable once again!
Today, the true son of light presents himself for service. I am asking that the voice and power of the people prevails.
I dare to ask…are you tired of darkness.
Are you ready to usher in the light?
Youths, is it your time, or do you still want people who cannot feel your issues, and can never represent you to remain in power forever?
Do you want a fresh start, or do you still want to recycle the past?
Do you think you deserve better than handouts?
If you are ready for a fresh start, let us go on this journey.
Show that true power lies with God, and democratic power lies with the people!

Support Alexander Oluremi Ajipe for Senate.
I promise, you will not regret it!
A dawn of a new era!!
God bless you all!!!