A former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Friday dumped his race for the state’s governorship seat and the alliance of opposition parties in Oyo State to oust the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
One of the front-runners of the opposition alliance, Alao-Akala attributed his sudden change to a call from the Presidency, adding that had agreed to support the candidate of the APC, Adebayo Adelabu, in the March 9 governorship election.
According to him, the move would enable them to form a coalition government in the state.
Noting that he remained in the Action Democratic Party, where he is the governorship candidate, he said he would give his full support to all the ADP’s candidates for the House of Assembly seats in the forthcoming election.
Speaking through a statement on Friday, Alao-Akala said, “It is widely known that I initiated alliance talks with the main opposition parties in Oyo State vis-a-vis my great party – the ADP, the African Democratic Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Zenith Labour Party. My boss, the former governor of Oyo State and Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja is a mediator.
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“Meanwhile, during the alliance process, I received an emergency call from the Presidency. In the meeting with the Presidency, I was prevailed upon to work for the APC. My response was that I should be given 48 hours to consult with my people, the opposition parties’ alliance committee as well as the teeming members, the leaders and the stakeholders of my great party, ADP.
“On resumption to the alliance meeting, my boss (Ladoja) told me point blank in the presence of other governorship candidates that I was not in consideration for the governorship seat due to my place of birth – Ogbomoso. According to him, we need an Ibadan man to slug it out with another Ibadan man, which is Bayo Adelabu.
“With the statement, my geographical place of birth is the only crime I committed. Since I have been unfairly and technically booted out of the alliance talks, I consulted with my party stakeholders and supporters whose supports have brought me this far. Having realised that my 2019 governorship agenda cannot be realised in isolation based on the present situation, the only option remaining for me is to form an alliance with Mr. Bayo Adelabu of the APC.”
He asserted that the APC candidate has agreed to adopt and implement the ADP’s core values and manifesto as well as its Rescue Mission Agenda, with the Presidency as a witness.
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