A group within the Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Oyo Progressives Front (OPF), has expressed its joy and admiration with the recent return of Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (SOLAN) and the entire structure of the Oyo State Chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to the All Progressives Congress (APC). OPF recalls that Lanlehin was the party’s governorship candidate in the 2019 polls.
In a release signed by its Chairman, Com. Kola Aderoju and Secretary, Com. Fatai Akanmu, OPF lauded the sincerity, courage and boldness of Lanlehin, which not only saw him pull out of the coalition with the Seyi Makinde Government, quickly, after sensing the latter’s insincerity, as well as his open embrace of the ongoing reconciliatory process in the APC, the group added that: “we’re delighted Lanlehin is back where he truly belongs, and hope that, together with other like-minded progressives, he will contribute his quota to the enthronement of equity, justice and fairness in the party, as well as brighten its chances of returning to power in 2023”.
While lambasting the hurriedly convened press conference by the Oyo State Caretaker Committee of the ADC, wherein it dismissed Lanlehin’s defection as non-consequential, and called its own party’s governorship candidate a paperweight, OPF lamented what it calls the “elevation of politics of the stomach, instead of that of principles”, for if Lanlehin was as half-greedy as those now benefitting from the Makinde Government, then they wouldn’t have even had any chance to be talking from both sides of the mouth, as they would’ve been completely shut off.
“Isn’t it already in the public square how Lanlehin rejected appointments from the Makinde Government when it was obvious the Governor was only interested in individuals and not the generality of the teeming masses of the party? And who today, has children and allies in that same Government despite their insignificant contribution to Makinde’s electoral victory, isn’t it the same beneficiaries now alleging Lanlehin of insincerity?”
OPF notes the comic display by the Caretaker Committee of the Oyo State ADC, believing that, while the party is right to be pained by the exit of the only marketable personality in its midst, its needless allusion to lies and deceits is clearly uncalled for. “How can Oyo ADC in one breath say it is committed to building a strong and virile party, yet in another say it is, without conscience, supporting the already collapsed coalition arrangement?” “What greater doublespeak is that, don’t we all know there’s nothing like Oyo ADC again, but a bunch of Makinde faithful leeching on someone else’s integrity?”
Oyo Progressives Forum (OPF) therefore charged Lanlehin and his teeming supporters not to be perturbed by the infantile cries of those remaining in the Oyo ADC, as they’re bound to continually please their paymaster, even if, within themselves, only a sizeable number is even actually benefitting, and majority only deployed as pawns in their nefarious political chess game, it called on the Oyo ADC and their backers in the Makinde Government to accept Lanlehin’s exit in good faith, and stop shedding this irritating crocodile tears.
