A frontline governorship aspirant in the 2019 general elections and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, has disclosed that Governor Abiola Ajimobi is aware of his intentions to succeed him at the expiration of his tenure in office.
Alao-Akala made this declaration while addressing scores of party faithful and supporters who thronged his Opadoyin Akala residence in Ogbomoso to register their displeasure on his continued silence on his political aspirations which they claimed has caused a lot of disaffection amongst his teeming supporters.
Leaders from various zones of the state while addressing the gathering sought clarification from the former governor as to his main intentions during the next political dispensation reminding him of the resolution reached at the general meeting of the Akala Support Group where it was agreed by all that he should come out once again and contest for the post of Governor of Oyo state.
“The people of Oyo state want to know your next political move, your keeping quiet even after a letter was written to you after the general assembly of the Akala Support Group held months back asking you to declare your intention to vie for the number one seat in the state is creating a lot of confusion.
“A lot of insinuations have been going round in the state which we don’t want to believe hence our decision to come here and table our grievances before you.
“The agitations are high and the people out there are expectant. They look forward to your formal declaration of intent which I can assure you will spur them into action as we your political supporters have mobilised ourselves into teams ready for House to House campaign. Also, our mobilisation efforts on collection of Permanent Voters Card are also yielding the much desired result hence our resolve to come here today with our agitations so that our efforts will not be in vain,” they said.
Thanking them for their unflinching support and for standing firm over the years, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala promised that in a matter of weeks, he will formally address a larger house of party faithful and supporters to brief them on his decisions and also deliberate on the best possible ways of going about it before making a formal public declaration but stated that right now, consultations are at its peak with key actors in the political space of the country.
“As you can see, I just got in from Abuja this morning and I came here straight to listen to you and allay your fears. Consultations are ongoing and I can assure you we are getting it right this time around. I have been meeting with all those that matter on this project and the result of those consultations are positive.
“I am fully in the race and very soon I am coming out publicly to intimate the good people of the state of my plans on continuing with the good works of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
“As the sitting Governor, courtesy demands we intimate him of our aspirations and that we have done.
“I have informed him of my intention of continuing from where he will stop come May 2019. He is the very first person I consulted on this project.
“Please go back to your respective localties and sensitize the voting public, let them know I, Adebayo Alao-Akala, am contesting for Governor and nothing else . Don’t let anybody confuse you. They are mischief makers. Whoever tells you Akala is going for any other thing other than what you ask of me is still a learner in the game of Politics.
“They don’t know it is the people that should decide what they want not the other way round.”
“The decision of the general assembly of Akala Support Group was conveyed to me, the agitations of the people on the street asking me come out and contest are also there.
“All these and many more are enough reasons to convince me that the people of Oyo state know what they want and I am ready to once again hearken to their voice and obey the clarion call to service,” Alao-Akala added.
