The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Temitope Olatoye Sugar, has withdrawn from the 2019 governorship race in Oyo State.
He is to declare his intention at an event to be witnessed by notable chieftains of the party at his Lagelu local government area.
This is coming less than 24 hours after OYO INSIGHT reported how Governor Abiola Ajimobi had lobbied the former representative of Lagelu State constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, to consider running for the Oyo Central senatorial race.
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Former speaker Monsurat Sunmonu, who currently represents the district had left the All Progressives Congress, APC, with other members of Unity Forum owing to unresolved leadership tussle.
For many weeks, Ajimobi, sources told OYO INSIGHT, had sleepless nights as he wants Sunmonu to be replaced in the forthcoming election.
Sunmonu, who was speaker of the Oyo Assembly during Ajimobi’s first term, has become a factor in the politics of the state. Ajimobi is, however, not comfortable with those who have signified intention to run against Sunmonu who will soon announce her new party any moment from now.
Sugar, who is also popular in the district, was a close ally of Sunmonu.
The lawmaker is dropping his governorship ambition after more than two years of crisscrossing major towns in the state, selling himself to the electorate.
One of his aides confirmed this development to OYO INSIGHT in the early hours of today.
He would later send the press statement below to this newspaper.
On behalf of our principal, Hon. (Dr) Olatoye Temitope Sugar, his Gubernatorial campaign team, the Olatoye Sugar Foundation (home & abroad), we wish to thank all political associates, friends, leaders and members of the public for your unrelenting efforts, sacrifices and supports towards the actualization of Hon. Olatoye Sugar’s Gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State come 2019.
However, there are new developments in the political terrain of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State which therefore necessitate the need for us to shift ground from our much desired enviable level in our political sojourn for a lesser adventure because of our strong belief in a strong, virile, indivisible and unified political party.
Consequently, as a result of several constructive engagements with our party leadership at different levels within and outside Oyo State, we have therefore conceded to vying for the position of a SENATOR in our dear Oyo Central Senatorial District of Oyo State.
At this juncture, it is pertinent to state that, being a party-man to the core, this decision is taken out of esteemed honour for party leadership, supremacy and unalloyed loyalty to our leaders. Hence, the decision should not be misconstrued to have been taken under any form of intimidation, fear or lack of self-assurance. We therefore wish other gubernatorial contenders the very best in their aspirations.
Finally, we encourage our teeming supporters, political family, admirers and friends to be focused on how to synergize and articulate all our strengths and capabilities so as to consolidate on our past achievements throughout the nooks and crannies of Oyo State and to ensure total success for our dear Hon. (Dr) Olatoye Temitope Sugar at the party primaries and general elections so as to emerge as a DISTINGUISHED SENATOR in 2019.
Let us support and vote
Hon. Olatoye Sugar for Senate, Oyo Central Senatorial District.
Many thanks & God bless.
Long Live Oyo State,
Long Live APC family,
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
