Elders and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo Federal Constituency have kicked against the ‘purported’ zoning of the party’s 2015 governorship ticket to Ibadan zone.
Describing the decision as ” Ibadan ruling class mentality against popular wishes of other components parts of Oyo State”, the PDP stakeholders said the position which was arrived at by governorship aspirants from Ibadan is “selfish, unrealistic and a ploy towards perpetual enslavement of other segments of the State.”
It would be recalled that at a meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital some days ago, some governorship aspirants from Ibadan including a former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin; former Sports Minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Dr. Soji Adejumo, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, Elder Wole Oyelese, Mr. Seyi Makinde and a former Deputy Governor of the State, Hazeem Gbolarumi, had called on the party leadership to give an Ibadan indigene the ticket based on what they called “the reality on ground.”
But at a press conference held by party leaders, elders, chairmen, secretaries, treasurers, women and youth leaders and thousands of supporters from the four local governments consisting of Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo-West), they faulted the rationale behind the zoning policy.
Spokesman of the constituency who is also a PDP chieftain, Chief Folaranmi Owolabi, asked, “What is the reality on ground that justifies Ibadan’s egoistic claim to the ticket? Are other parts of the state, namely Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa, pre-destined to be continually subservient to Ibadan ruling class mentality?
“Who is a bonafide Ibadan indigene? Are they saying no indigene from other parts of the state is competent, qualified and reliable to be picked as governorship candidate?”
