Fourteen African Democratic Congress, ADC, members in the Oyo State House of Assembly have commended the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for sticking to the choice of Senator Olufemi Lanlehin as the governorship candidate, describing him as the right choice whose popularity and connectedness with the masses will deliver the state to the party in 2019.
The lawmakers, whose constituencies spread across local government areas in Ibadan city, Ibadan outer city, Oyo and Oke-Ogun and Ogbomosho zones, said the voting masses had been waiting for the choice of Lanlehin as the one worthy of their votes in 2019, having distinguished himself prior to and while serving as Senator for Oyo South district between 2011 and 2015.
The lawmakers, who spoke through their spokesperson, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola representing Atiba State Constituency, urged the ADC NWC “to discountenance any orchestrated dissension from moles in the party” over the choice of Lanlehin, tasking the party leadership not to listen to those “whose intention is to destroy the party and enjoy their pay.”
Some of the lawmakers are the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Abdulwasi (Saki West State Constituency), the Minority Leader, Honourable Ademola Akeem Ige (Ibadan South-East II); Honourable Adesina Fatai (Ibadan South East I); Honourable Olusegun Olaleye (Ibadan North State Constituency II); Honourable Lukman Balogun (Oorelope State Constituency).
Others are Honourable Ganiyu Oseni (Irepo/Olorunsogo State Constituency); Honourable Afeez Adeleke (Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency); Honourable Muyideen Olagunju (Oyo East/Oyo West State Constituency); Honourable Waheed Adeniyi Adeoye (Ibadan North-East II State Constituency); Honourable Bolaji Badmus (Akinyele State Constituency II); Honourable Biliaminu Azeez (Ona-Ara State Constituency); Honourable Lasun Oguntade (Egbeda State Constituency II); and Honourable Peter Oyetunji (Ogo Oluwa/Surulere State Constituency).
Oyekola said it was strange for a group of 12 governorship aspirants to oppose the choice of Lanlehin and be clamouring that they should be allowed to pick the party’s governorship candidate from among them, adding that no serious party would cede the power to pick candidate to a group of aspirants.
“The so-called aggrieved aspirants submitted themselves to a process approved by the NWC and when the outcome did not favour them, they started kicking against the decision of the leaders arising from the assignment given to them by the NWC. Can they be the judge in their own case?
“It is a good thing that they are in court to challenge how Lanlehin was arrived at by the leaders and the NWC of the party. They will have their day in court. They are obviously acting the script of their paymasters.
“The pensioners, traumatized lecturers and depressed segments of the state are waiting for Lanlehin to come and pay them their pension arrears and salaries and put smile on the faces of populace. We won’t allow agents who are being paid to frustrate our leaders out of ADC.
“The feedback from the voting masses since the announcement of Lanlehin has been very positive and comforting. We recall that one of the aspirants was on a radio station ranting weeks ago and one of those who called into the programme told him Lanlehin is a popular choice that the people will vote for.
“We stand by the decision of the collegiate leadership of the party led by Senator Rashidi Ladoja; Chief Michael Koleoso; Dr Adebisi Busari and Chief Layiwola Olakojo supported by the NWC of the party. We dare these 12 aspirants to test their collective and individual popularity in another party rather than slowing ADC down with their ranting.
“We task the NWC to act fast on these moles so that the distraction they are causing the party can be laid to permanent rest, while we forge ahead with campaign and strategy for the election. ADC, we are convinced, is a government-in-waiting,” Oyekola said.
