I'm fit to be governor again at 70, says Ladoja

Bisi Oladele

A former governor of Oyo State Sen.  Rashidi Ladoja, has assured voters and residents in the state that though he would climb the septuagenarian ladder tomorrow (Thursday), he is still fit to be governor again. 

Ladoja, who is the leader of Accord in the state, said he is still as strong as Nelson Mandela and Adekunle Ajasin were at the time they served as South African president and Ondo State governor respectively. 

He pledged to lead the state to the path of greatness and bring the people to prosperity if he returns as governor one more time. 

Ladoja stated this while addressing reporters in Ibadan yesterday. 

According to him, the Latin expression, mens sana in corpore sano, which means a sound mind in a sound body, aptly describes him as he clocks 70 years.

The former governor said those bandying his age about as a barrier were jittery of defeat even before the actual 2015, adding that scenarios in older democracies have shown that invaluable advantages accrue from having a mature and highly experienced administrator in charge of governance.

Ladoja emphasized that a survey conducted by his party showed that 80 per cent of the people of Oyo State still want him to come back as governor in 2015.

He said: “In politics, people use primordial sentiments to eliminate their opponents because they feel they cannot compete with me. Therefore, they want to eliminate me before the race starts and because they know I am still very strong to lead the state to the Promised Land.

“As governor, am I going into office to hew trees? Or am I going to be breaking stones? At what age did Mandela become president of South Africa, after the rigours he went through in prison for 27 years? Did that distract him from achieving his objective for South Africa at that time?

“At what age did Adebayo Adefarati and Papa Michael Ajasin become governor? If they are not afraid, let them present themselves and not say Ladoja should come and anoint them.

“Age is in the mind. I believe so much in God that anything I want, He will do it for me. I don’t frustrate myself and I do not panic. At 70, my blood pressure still remains 110/70.

“Even at the height of my impeachment, my doctor would come and be shivering about what my BP would read. But as soon as he took it, he would relax-still the same 110/70."

ENDS