By Yemi Akintomide
Mathew Oye Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, the top aspirant for the Ondo South Senatorial District in the 2023 National Assembly Election, has completed his Familiarisation Tour of the six local government areas that make up the Southern Senatorial District.
Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Okitipupa, Odigbo, and Ileoluji/ Oke-Igbo are the six council areas.
MATO and his crew began their journey by paying visits to a large number of elders, leaders, and members of the local government executive committee (Excos) in Odigbo, Irele, and Ilaje, where they were greeted with open arms and high generosity by the people of Ondo State’s riverine communities.
According to the Oke-Igbo born oil magnet turned politician, the tour was a deliberate endeavour to meet the people right at their doorsteps with a message of renewed hope and new rewards.
Following the highly successful of the first leg of the familiarisation tour, the Senatorial hopeful and his team stormed Okitipupa, the headquarters of the Okitipupa local government area, on Monday, where a large crowd of MATO supporters came out in full force from all the electoral wards that comprised the local government area to openly identify with MATO.
The gathering that received the entourage was so massive that it had to be divided into three sections, each meeting with the Senatorial aspirant separately.
Oyerinmade message of optimism was loud, clear, and precise at his different meetings and engagements with his people, rekindling the hope and aspirations of party faithful in popular political participation and quality representation.
He also enjoined the APC members to obtain their party membership cards, as well as their voter’s registration cards, as the two weapons required to bring about the great change they seek in the 2023 National Assembly Election.
There were far too many encouraging comments, goodwill messages, and favorable answers from the hosts to include here, as the people plainly indicated that Mathew Oye Oyerinmade (MATO) is the man for the Abuja job in 2023.
Former chairman of Okitipupa local government, Hon. Wole Akeremale, and Chief Ayeniyi were among the many elders, leaders, local government Exco members, and other party faithful who attended the meetings.
MATO and his entourage later visited Igbotu town, in Ese-Odo local government, where thousands of party faithful had gathered, waiting expectantly for the arrival of their new political bride, with drums, dances, and great joy, after a successful tour of Okitipupa local government area.
The first venue of the Igbotu meeting could be compared to the day our Lord Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a kingly horse, crowned as Saviour of the World.
Without a doubt, the Ese-Odo people show their support for MATO as he makes his way to the National Assembly to represent them in the Red Chambers. The familiarization tour, which was originally intended to be just a social gathering for party members was quickly transformed into a cannival by okada riders, women’s groups, youngsters, and artisans who were eager to meet the new bride of the Southern Senatorial District.
MATO also met with thousands of party faithful, local government party Exco members, and the legislative arm of the Council at two different locations in Igbobini and Igbekebo, the headquarters of Ese-Odo council area, where they all resolved to give the aspirant full support for him to emerge as APC candidate in the election and go ahead to win the February 18, 2022 National Assembly Election.
Hon. Akin Sowore, the former chairman of the local government, and Hon. Apinmi Decent Pam, the current APC local government chairman, were on hand to lead the team around the council area.
MATO and his entourage returned to Irele on Tuesday, more than a week after his first visit. His supporters at Irele couldn’t get enough of him, as the number of people who came to welcome him doubled that of the first time. This time around, he met with Ward Executives from all ten wards in the Irele local government area. Both the Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Olu Idogun, and Chief Femi Moyegun, Chairman of the MATO SUPPORT GROUP in the area, were gracious hosts to the team.
On Thursday, December 23, 2021, Team MATO arrived at Ileoluji/Okeigbo, the Senatorial aspirant’s home council area.
Hon. Bimbo Fajolu, a leading member of Team MATO and a former lawmaker in the Ondo State House of Assembly, and Hon. Dayo Akinsuroju, the current chairman of Ileoluji/Oke-Igbo local government, were on hand to welcome the illustrious son back home.
Hon. Akinsuroju advised MATO to work with everyone because he wants to see him as the sole aspirant from the local government to seek support for the Southern Senatorial ticket of APC.
The receptions were massive, impressive and encouraging across the six council areas, with many party loyalists identifying and ready to work for the emergence of Mathew Oyerinmade as the ruling APC’s candidate and eventual winner of the prestigious Senatorial District seat in 2023.
MATO’s message was bold, strong, direct, and invigorating to his listeners’ souls, promising quality representation and a new joyful life for all as of June 2023, when he will be sworn in as a Senator for Ondo South Senatorial District.
He took the opportunity to thank APC members in all the six local government areas in the Southern Senatorial District, wishing them unlimited joy and affection before, during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations; emphasizing his visits to the Southern Senatorial District revealed to him the massive support and popularity he has amongst the people since announcing his intention to run for the National Assembly in 2023.