A former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor, Bayo Adelabu, has urged aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State to return to the party to strengthen it ahead of next year’s elections.
Scores of party members, who were displeased with the conduct of the state congresses, have been threatening to leave the party, if justice is not done to them.
Recently, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and APC State Chairman, Akin Oke, extended the olive branch to aggrieved members, urging them to embrace dialogue and reconciliation.
Speaking after his official declaration to join the governorship race at APC’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Adelabu urged the aggrieved party loyalists to take advantage of the reconciliation move by the party’s leadership and join the efforts to strengthen it.
At the event were thousands of supporters including captains of industries, chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), elected council chairmen, traders, artisans and youths across Ibadan.
The Adelabu’s long convoy of over 150 vehicles caused traffic gridlock in Dugbe, Iyaganku, Ring Road, Challenge, Iletitun and Molete Oke-Ado areas of the city.
His first port of call was his family house in Kudeti Oke Oluokun in Ibadan South East Local Government Area, followed by APC state secretariat and the party’s local office.
Adelabu’s supporters were clad in different colourful Ankara fabrics and T-shirts embossed with his portrait and APC logo.
They headed to the home of his late grandfather, Adegoke Adelabu’s tomb where clerics, led by Chief Imam of the Penkelemesi house, Alhaji Amidu Oluokun, offered special prayers.
The late Adelabu Adegoke (aka Penkelemesi), a prominent personality in the politics of Ibadan city and the defunct Western Region before Nigeria’s Independence in 1960, was the Minister of Natural Resources and Social Services from January 1955 to January 1956.
He later became an opposition leader to Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Regional Assembly until his death in 1958.
Bayo Adelabu, who voluntarily retired few weeks ago from the apex bank, told reporters that he left the services of the Federal Government to contribute his quota to the development of his home state.