Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has pleaded with prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress’, APC’s bid to develop the state.
This development, TheNewsGuru(TNG) gathered, is in reaction to the threat posed by the return of Oyetola’s biggest political rival, Ademola Adeleke, a former senator and ex-governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2018 gubernatorial poll in Osun, who has declared interest to contest the next election in the state.
Speaking while receiving PDP decampees led by a former lawmaker, Mrs Funmilayo Olasinde-Mustapha into the APC at the Freedom Park in Osogbo on Wednesday, Oyetola said the opposition party has nothing to campaign against his administration as he has resolved all issues raised during the electioneering campaign in 2018.
“Credible members of the PDP who want the progress of the state should join us now, our doors are still open. There is nothing you can use to campaign against us. All these issues raised in 2018 have been resolved. We pay full salary and pension promptly. We build primary health centre in each ward of the state and we building roads.
“In fact, we commence road rehabilitation at the headquarters of the opposition in Ede. We are governing Osun with God’s wisdom not by our might. When we complete this term, by the grace of God, we will win another election come 2022”, he said.
Hon. Funmilayo, who was also a former council chairman, led her supporters from the Ila Federal Constituency, comprising Ila, Boluwaduro and Ifedayo and other seven councils in the state, into the party.
She noted that she left PDP because of its protracted crisis, saying a party that could not fix its challenges could certainly not fix that of the State.
She added that Oyetola’s achievements in just three years despite the financial challenges were worthy of emulation.
In his remark, APC caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun noted that the APC is still the party to beat in the state, saying PDP, after almost three years could not fault the administration’s policy except body shaming him, (Famodun).
Others prominent dignitaries at the defection rally include wife of the Governor, Kafayat Oyetola of Osun, the Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, former deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.
Sources close to the governor who spoke to TNG under condition of anonymity, disclosed that the move to woo PDP members into Oyetola’s party is to counter Ademola Adeleke’s return to the state.
“Oyetola needs to solidify his political structure now more than ever. You are aware that there is an intra-party crisis ongoing between the governor and his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola over the control of the party in the state; more disturbing is the return of Sen. Ademola Adele who has been majorly domiciled in the United States after losing election in 2018.
‘Adeleke has not just returned to Osun he has also thrown his hat into the ring of the state’s governorship election come 2022. This is not a time for us to be spectators, the governor had to consolidate his political support base, and he has shown that he is capable of doing that” Says Source.
Ademola, who is a younger brother to the first civilian governor of the state, Isiaka Adeleke, declared his intention on Tuesday, September 7, in Osogbo, the capital of the state.