A former House of Representatives member, Hon. Bosun Oladele, has said that the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate in the just concluded governorship election in the state, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin and others to consider joining the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Oladele, who represented Irepo/Olorunsogo/Oorelope federal constituency between 2015 and 2019, spoke on the heels of the withdrawal of Lanlehin from the coalition arrangement that produced Engr. Seyi Makinde as Governor.
It would be recalled that Lanlehin, Barr. Sharafadeen Alli of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and others stepped down to support Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against Oloye Adebayo Adelabu of the APC.
Owing to what he called ‘non-compliance’ by Makinde, Lanlehin had yesterday, announced his withdrawal from the coalition arrangement.
But reacting, Oladele who was a commissioner for information, said it was obvious that Lanlehin doesn’t belong to the conservative party adding that Lanlehin functioned and benefited when he was in the progressive fold.
“Apart from the fact that late Chief Lanlehin, his father, who was a known ally of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, sided with the progressives till he breathed his last, Sen. Lanlehin was elected House of Representatives and Senator on the umbrella of the progressive party. He has never found his feet within the conservative fold.
“I remember when he left for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after he served as legal adviser of the Alliance for Democracy, AD. Since he left the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, he has not been appreciated. That, alone, shows that he doesn’t belong there.
“As human being, we will continue to offend each other but the ability to overlook some things, forget and forgive is more beneficial. The revered politician should return to the APC and let’s rebuild the party together. We need him. We are better when we are together. I recall he was persuaded to take the Oyo South senatorial ticket of our party in 2011 after Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, now a former governor, was considered for the governorship ticket. We all buried our differences, going forward to defeat the then incumbent. That is the way to go,” Oladele who was once youth leader of the AD counseled.
The Igbeti-born politician also advised his colleagues- Honourables Adedapo Lam-Adesina, Sunbo Olugbemi, Abiodun Olasupo and Taiwo Michael Akintola as well as other notable APC members who dumped the party to return.
“Let’s rebuild this party together. You are needed more in the APC than being outside. Let’s forget what has happened. Let’s forgive ourselves. I know we must have learnt our lessons; that division is not good,” he added.
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