The outcome of the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, by revealing the preferences of the electorates, has expectedly ushered in a manoeuvres by the leading political parties in Oyo State calculated at winning the much-loved governorship position. In the quest for electoral advantage, parties are bargaining and negotiating, seeking alliances and forming coalitions.
On its part, a week or so ago, the top echelon of the APC, in its wisdom, stretched out a hand of cooperation to me as the flagbearer of the ADP in the forthcoming March 9 election. Conscious of how far-reaching my decision as a leader will be, not only for my humble self, my teeming followers and admirers, not to mention the multitudes of the citizens of Oyo State, I sought for a little time to reflect deeply and consult widely.
The single most important consideration is the destiny of Oyo State, not the idle, ill-founded, false and mischievous imputation of a mercenary motive to me. The good Lord has blessed me abundantly and I am too poised to sell conscience.
As constituted today, all of the South West is ruled by the APC and enjoys the privileges and benefits, tangible and intangible, of being a part of the party at the center. Surely, analysts and pundits agree, it will be improvedent for the Oyo State to move out of this favoured group of state in the APC political wilderness.
Abiding in the APC will help Oyo State facilitate the following projects, to name a few:the Ikere Gorge dam for farmland irrigation and electricity generation, resuscitation of the lgbeti marble industry and the termination of the Lagos-lbadan dual carriageway at Ojoo. An automatic boomq will be the siting of a Federal Polytechnic here for us. In addition, we must not forget the agenda of regional integration, prominent in Southwestern policy planning, in the recent years, which includes, just to mention a quick example, the speedy completion of the standard gauge rail line Linking Lagos and lbadan and all the way to llorin and beyond.
As to the LAUTECH issue, I have received assurances that it will be resolved speedily and fairly, in our favour.
The dictates of patriotism- to Nigeria, Oyo State and to the South West-have compelled my decision to accept the hand of co-operation of the APC with regards to the gubernatorial election while ADP candidates running for the State Assembly positions will remain on the ballot.
One other factor is key, the electability of APC’s governorship candidate. It is my considered view that he should be given a fair chance and not hoist on the petard of anyone else. At forty-eight, the APC’s candidate for the governorship, Mr. Adebayo “Penkelemesi” Adelabu is young, energetic, forward-looking and able. A technocrat, he has an intimidating resume, starting with a first class in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-ilIfe at the age 21 and featuring a phenomenal rise in the financial services industry culminating in a deputy governorship at the Central Bank. As a former Governor, I see him as an astute manager of men, materials and money, just right for Oyo State. He has assured me he will not turn up as a shadow governor beholden to a godfather or godfathers pulling strings behind the scene.
The ADP as a party and my humble self, therefore, have no qualms, in lending our support to the APC in the forthcoming March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election so that we can all move Oyo State to the next level.
SIGNED:
OTUNBA (DR.) CHRISTOPHER ADEBAYO ALAO-AKALA
