Lawmakers from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) caucus in the Oyo State House of Assembly have expressed confidence that a former governor of the state and one of the leaders of the party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, will lead ADC’s campaign into the 2019 elections.
The 12 lawmakers, speaking on Tuesday evening through their spokesperson, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola from Atiba State Constituency, said their respect for the former governor was not in doubt, adding that the Osi Olubadan remained a significant issue in the politics of the state.
Oyekola, who spoke against the background of online news blogs that Ladoja had defected to Zenith Labour Party, assured party faithful and supporters that Ladoja remained in ADC and would lead the party to victory in next year’s elections.
He explained that a good number of those who got the party’s tickets to run in 2019 under the banner of ADC made the candidates’ list through the leadership role of Ladoja, saying “no father will abandon his political children.”
The lawmaker said Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, who clinched the party’s governorship ticket, was not only the people’s choice, but also the preference of Ladoja “who continues to politically father Lanlehin and many other sons and daughters in ADC today.”
He added that Lanlehin, during his visit to the House of Assembly last week, convinced the ADC Caucus about his competence to solve the problems confronting the state and provide a pro-people government to the admiration of the populace.
“Senator Ladoja’s political credo has been to see a truly pro-poor government in place in the state; a government that will deploy the resources of the state for the good of the greatest number of people in the state.
“Ladoja picked Lanlehin as the man who is fit and proper to do the job of providing responsible leadership for the state, having observed him and his antecedents from close quarters, particularly when Lanlehin joined Accord from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and put Accord on the Senate map in 2013.
“The momentum in the state at the moment justifies our assertion that Lanlehin will coast home to victory. People from all shades of social, political and religious leanings have embraced ADC and all its candidates. Ladoja remains our father and mentor and we are very sure he will lead us to victory,” the lawmaker said.
