Tag: Adebayo Alao-Akala

Seven governorship aspirants, led by former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, have rejected the results of Monday’s ward congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a petition to the Ward Congress Appeal Panel, the seven aspirants alleged that the congress did not hold as it was skewed in favour of a particular aspirant.

The aspirants, who wrote the petition under the aegis of Concerned Oyo State PDP Governorship Aspirants, comprise Alao-Akala, Ayo Adeseun, Femi Babalola, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja,  Hazeem Gbolarumi, Dr. Isaac Owolabi and Prof. Soji Adejumo.

In the petition, the seven aspirants decried the manner in which the Aliyu Idi Hong-led state monitoring committee conducted itself at the re-scheduled ward congress, insisting that no result could have come from a congress that didn’t hold.

“In the unlikely event of any result being produced by any person or body of persons, such must have been manufactured and must not be accepted,” they insisted.

The petition reads:  “Dr. Hong informed us that only photocopies of the result sheet would be distributed and used for the congress while they would keep the original.

“These original copies would only be filled after the election. We finished the meeting at 2:45 pm and the distribution of materials was done between2:47 pm and 3:30 pm.

“No sooner than local party chairmen were given the materials that thugs engaged by one aspirant descended on the chairmen and forcefully took away the result forms.

“These thugs came with Alhaji Lateef Akinsola Tokyo, a former National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) chairman and a known sympathiser of Senator Teslim Folarin.

“It was, however, discovered that the Hong committee had given the original result sheets to Senator Folarin.

“Thousands of our supporters were waiting for the materials; these people left after 7pm when no materials were made available. There was therefore no election anywhere in Oyo State.

“We, therefore, distance and dissociate ourselves from the  statement ascribed to Dr. Hong over the re-scheduled ward delegate congress that never held.

“It was actually a surprise that the committee could be part of the conspiracy to impose a candidate on our party in Oyo State.

“It follows that the results submitted by the state ward congress committee is fraudulent and accepting such to favour Senator Folarin will only lead to more chaos and this will not augur well for the party next year.

“The results not being the outcome of any elections cannot therefore be valid.

Choosing one set of results over the other will lead to more chaos and conflict which should be avoided.”

Former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has denied any attempt to sack the Akeem Yinka Taiwo-led State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Executive Council.

His reaction followed the allegations linking him to a petition seeking the dissolution of the executives who he accused of not living up to expectation.

The former governor was accused of being too critical of the Yinka Taiwo-led exco and was working to ensure its dissolution.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Abraham Ojo, Alao-Akala said yesterday that at no time did he make either covert or overt efforts to take over the party exco.

He noted that the claim by the Vice Chairman, Solomon Ogunjimi, was ridiculous and absurd.

A party chieftain, Adebisi Olopoenia, has described the reports as cheap blackmail.

Olopoenia said it was an attempt by some desperate governorship aspirants to misinform the public to create hatred for the former governor.

“There was never any attempt by Alao-Akala to dissolve Oyo PDP exco. This is the handiwork of his political enemies and they will not succeed.

“It is not possible to dissolve our party exco at this crucial hour and Ogunjimi, who is leading this allegation, has no place in Oyo politics.”

THE intra-party crisis rocking the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened yesterday when former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese, boycotted the panel set up by the party’s national secretariat to hear complaints on last Saturday’s ward congress in the 33 local government areas.

The panel, led by former Minister of Health, Prof. Alphonsus Nwosu, was to hear the grievances of the governorship aspirants on the congress.

But Senator Ayo Adeseun, Femi Babalola, Seyi Makinde, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Kehinde Olaosebikan, Prof Soji Adejumo and a former Justice Commissioner Abdulsalam Are, who represented Dr. Isaac Owolabi, were present.

Some of the aggrieved aspirants submitted petitions and tendered exhibits.

They complained that the congress did not hold because of non-availability of materials.

But some other aspirants said the election was held, despite the non-availability of the election materials.

After receiving the petitions and the evidence submitted by the governorship aspirants, Nwosu, who is a governorship aspirant in Anambra State, thanked them for the respect accorded the panel.

He said the report of the panel would be made known within 48 hours.

A Group, Team Akala 2015 Project, has blamed the opposition for the violence that characterised the administration of former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.

Its Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Dr. Kola Balogun, spoke to reporters yesterday in Ibadan, as Alao-Akala prepares to declare his intention to re-contest the seat tomorrow.

He said with what happened in Oojo area of Ibadan last week, where supporters of two members of the state House of Assembly from the same political party engaged in violence, showed that violence was induced during his tenure.

The former Commissioner for Commerce said Alao-Akala was the first governor that purchased Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) for the state police command and the military.

He noted that those responsible for violence during the period were now in their home where they belonged, adding that the opposition used and dumped them.

Balogun assured of zero- tolerance for violence and any form of thuggery and brigandage when the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) aspirant returns as governor.

He urged the people to make a critical choice in 2015.

On the division within the fold of the state’s PDP, he said what was happening was just an expression of interest on the part of members, saying it happens in other parties.

The group’s Coordinator, Prince Niran Adeyoju, said the clamour for Alao-Akala’s return was being spearheaded by the people.

He said: “The professionals, youth, students and women in Oyo State are coming together under this umbrella, speaking in one voice, calling on the citizens of Oyo State to make a critical choice in 2015.

“The market women, students, civil servants and other people from the 33 local government areas have tested and trusted the former governor and they want him to come back in 2015.

“The most critical commentators and discerning public have agreed that Otunba Alao-Akala is an acknowledged benevolent leader, a distinguished Nigerian, whose distinction as former governor of the state readily presents him as a man we need to lead us out of the woods. Having enough to eat, a place to sleep and a good school for our kids were never a problem for the indigenes of Oyo State between 2007 and 2011.”

The group’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Oludare Ogunlana, called on volunteers to join the team.

He said the former governor has sacrificed for his people both in public and private services, saying: “He struggled for the emancipation of the people of Oyo State during his first term. He was number one servant leader not a dealer. He never saw governance as business.”