A former deputy governor and African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship aspirant in the 2019 election, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, has revealed that Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, who was ADC governorship candidate, did not tell him and others that Governor Seyi Makinde offered them any position as benefit of being coalition partners.
OYOINSIGHT.COM understands that governorship candidates of ADC, Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Social Democratic Party, SDP and others had entered into a coalition agreement with Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to defeat the former ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu.
Arapaja, who formally rejoined PDP earlier this week, berated the manner with he said Lanlehin handled the coalition agreement.
According to the former ambassador, who spoke on Lagelu FM’s Bosenlo, a weekly political programme by Ajibola Akinyefa, Lanlehin personalized ADC.
Arapaja, who represented Ibadan North East/South East federal constituency between 2003 and 2007 in the house of representatives, explained that “Lanlehin’s political leadership is questionable. It was ADC that put him forward to represent the party not his personal property.”
“Any meeting he attended, he wouldn’t give anyone the outcome. He hoarded all the information regarding sharing of political slots allotted to ADC. Is that how someone who aspires to lead millions of people behave?
“All ADC leaders like Chief Michael Koleoso, Chief Olakojo including Pa Ayo Adebanjo were all kept in the dark by Lanlehin. He never discussed with them. There was a particular day all the party elders and other aspirants were to have a meeting with him at Olakojo’s house after the election, Lanlehin never showed up. We were amazed later to read on his WhatsApp status that he had withdrawn from the coalition.”
This is just as he added that ADC leaders never knew Lanlehin was offered the chairmanship of the Governor’s Advisory Council position. He didn’t tell anyone. Did he tell anyone that he submitted the list of those he wanted Makinde to appoint into his government? Let me reveal it to you this morning. He submitted names of his Pastor, PAs and other aides to Governor Seyi Makinde. Is that not selfishness?
“Lanlehin switched off his cell phone for two months, he didn’t want notable ADC leaders to discuss anything relating to the agreement with him.”
