- Says adopt Edo template in terminating godfatherism

As the clock gradually ticks towards the D-Day for the October 10, 2020 Ondo State Gubernatorial Elections, one of Nigeria's foremost political pressure groups, Reset Nigeria Movement, has urged indigenes and residents of the State to come out and collectively put an end to political godfatherism in the State.

A statement signed on behalf of the group by its the National Secretary, Mr. Hassan Jubrin, and released on Friday, urged the people of Ondo State, particularly the Electorate to imbibe the message of the just-concluded Edo election where the people resolved to permanently terminate the tenure and reign of godfathers in the State.

RNM said failure to do this will plunge the State into more doom and a more bleak political future as a "Victory for Akeredolu automatically translates into a victory for Bola Tinubu, the self-acclaimed political godfather and his 2023 presidential ambition".

The statement added that Godfatherism has become an attribute in modern-day Nigerian politics and this has so far not fostered democratic stability but only retards democratic progress.

We advice the people of Ondo State to be weary and have a clearer understanding, the nature and prevailing characteristics of godfather/godson relationship, the dimension it has assumed in recent times and how it has negatively shaped and influenced the adult citizenry in the country.

There is high degree of political apathy among the Nigerian people who feel that their votes does not count; but drawing from the recent Edo experience, it is glaring that the evil of godfatherism can be greatly tackled by all and sundry, particularly, the government, the people's voting power and civil society in order to ensure adequate political participation by Nigerians.

We can all recall that the incumbent spent two years of his first tenure abroad allegedly on medical grounds; thus our emphasis that the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State should be employed to put an end to godfatherism in the state as we urge voters to come out en-masse to vote for mentally fit leaders with the capacity to effectively perform in office; no amount of violence and intimidation should scare you and make you stay away from the various polling units on election day.