The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has urged his supporters to embrace an issue-based campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that no political ambition is worth the life of any constituent.

Akinyelure, a two-term Senator who represented Ondo Central in the 7th and 9th National Assemblies, made the call while addressing supporters at his residence in Akure on Wednesday, shortly after returning to the state capital from Abuja.

The former lawmaker said his campaign for the Ondo Central senatorial seat would be anchored on his record in office, rather than personal attacks or confrontation with political opponents. He also prayed that his ambition would never result in the loss of any life before, during or after the election.

“My prayer is that if this position I’m vying for will lead to the loss of any life among you, may I not win the election. But if my ultimate wish is to lift people up and make everyone comfortable when I get to office, may God grant that wish.

“Do not fight or abuse anybody, but rather, let our campaign be issue-based.”

Akinyelure urged his supporters to focus their campaign on his achievements and stewardship as a senator, challenging them to present facts to voters and allow the electorate to make their choice freely.

Recalling his previous electoral contests, victories and achievements, Akinyelure pointed out that his interventions during his first term included the provision of vehicles to about 150 people in his constituency, adding that the constituency budget available to him at the time was approximately N221 million annually.

The former senator also recounted the circumstances surrounding his return to the National Assembly in 2019, revealing that he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) three months before the election and subsequently sought the party’s senatorial ticket.

He alleged that some party members advised the then governor against allowing him to secure the ticket because of concerns that he could eventually pursue a governorship ambition.

According to him, the ticket was subsequently given to Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who was then a serving senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).

Akinyelure said he eventually contested the election on another political platform and campaigned on his record in office.

He credited the electorate in Ondo Central for what he described as a decisive democratic verdict, saying the people, whom he described as politically enlightened, voted for him based on his stewardship.

He further recalled that attempts were allegedly made to alter the outcome of the election, but women in the constituency resisted the move.

The senator said the women resorted to a traditional form of protest, including stripping themselves, in an attempt to prevent the alleged manipulation of the electoral process.

Akinyelure, popularly known as “Allover”, therefore charged ADC members and his supporters to take his campaign to the people by highlighting his legislative record and contributions to the constituency.

He urged his supporters to avoid abusive language, violence and personal attacks, maintaining that the forthcoming election should be about ideas, competence, accountability and the welfare of the people.

The meeting was attended by ADC chieftains and supporters drawn from the six local government areas that make up Ondo Central Senatorial District.

Earlier in the day, a sizeable crowd of supporters had gathered at the Akure Airport in a colourful display to welcome the former senator back to the state.

Akinyelure’s return to Akure marks the beginning of a fresh phase of his campaign to seek another mandate to represent Ondo Central in the National Assembly after a four-year hiatus.

Having previously served in the 7th and 9th National Assemblies, he has earned the political sobriquet “Mr Employer” among sections of his constituency, a title associated with what his supporters describe as his contributions to employment generation and economic empowerment.

For him, the message is simple: the campaign should not be a contest of bitterness, but a competition of records, ideas and the capacity to deliver a better future for the people of Ondo Central