The Ibadan Elders’
Forum (IEF) on Wednesday endorsed Abiola Ajimobi, the Oyo State
governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), as its
consensus candidate during next Tuesday’s election.
The group had
supported Mr Ajimobi when he contested for the post on the platform of
the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007, a bid that failed.
Addressing
reporters at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ) yesterday, Olusola Sanu, a former Nigerian ambassador to Ethiopia
and the leader of the forum, said Mr Ajimobi remained the only viable
candidate in the election and called on the people of the state,
particularly those in Ibadan, to troop out on election day to vote en
masse for the ACN candidate.
Assessing the three
major contenders for the election, the senior citizens described the
Accord Party, on which platform Rashidi Ladoja, a former governor of
the state, is contesting, as a “local and sectionalised party.” The
party, the group claimed, might not be able to control the legislative
arm and could possibly foist on the state another impeachment saga.
Besides, they
argued, the performance of the parties at the last national assembly
election showed the ACN to be more popular in the state than Mr
Ladoja’s party.
The group was
harsher in its comment on the incumbent, Adebayo Alao-Akala, the flag
bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.
Mr Sanu asked the
people of the state to use their votes to reject the second term bid of
the governor, alleging that “he has contributed immensely to the
backwardness and lack of accountability and transparency” of the state.
Among the many sins
of the governor, as alleged by the group, is the sale of many houses
within the General Reservation Areas (GRA) in Ibadan as well as in Oyo
town “to the highest bidders under spurious bidding arrangements. The
result is that politicians, the elite and their relatives, concubines
and girlfriends have been allocated all the plots,” Mr Sanu said.
The forum also
cited his alleged disrespect to traditional rulers, including eminent
ones like the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Samuel Odulana Odugade I, the
Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, and the Soun of Ogbomoso,
Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade. The governor had, on occasions, disagreed
with the traditional rulers and has been severally accused of
desecrating their offices.
“We maintain that
Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi is the most worthy and credible candidate that
Oyo State needs now,” the group stated, adding that the ACN
“understands fully the need to assist the poor and the needy in Oyo
State. We therefore recommend Senator Ajimobi to the entire people of
Oyo State and urge them to vote massively for him.”
Standing with the
forum’s leader at the press conference were Omowale Kuye, the Otun
Olubadan of Ibadanland; Bode Amoo, a businessperson; Kola Daisi, a
renowned entrepreneur; and Nurudeen Adekola, a retired chief judge of
the state.
Alao-Akala unmoved
Meanwhile, the
incumbent governor has reacted to the forum’s endorsement of Mr
Ajimobi, saying he was not surprised by the development.
Mr Alao-Akala, in a
reaction made available to journalists on his behalf by his
spokesperson, Dotun Oyelade, said, “About this time four years ago, the
socio- cultural group made a similar pronouncement, declaring support
for the same Ajimobi and calling on all citizens of Oyo State to vote
for him.” Predicting another failure for the ACN candidate, Mr
Alao-Akala said the forum was out of touch with modern-day democracy,
describing their position as “an insult on the people of the state.”
Supporters of Mr
Ladoja also described the forum as “an uninformed selfish cabal”.
Adeolu Adeleke, a former speaker of the state house of assembly and the
director-general of the Ladoja Campaign Organisation, said the forum
resorted to the open endorsement after many overtures to make Mr Ladoja
step down for Mr Ajimobi failed.
“It is an undisputable fact that the said endorsement is based on
pecuniary interests as against the interests of the civil servants,
teachers, students, artisans, traders, investors and other well-meaning
people of Oyo State who clamoured for the return of Rashidi Adewolu
Ladoja as governor of Oyo State in order to restore the lost glory of
the state,” he said. “The organisation sees the purported endorsement
as the affirmation of its earlier position that a cabal has constituted
itself as godfather to Abiola Ajimobi to milk the state, as they did
under Adebayo Alao-Akala’s government before they abandoned Alao-Akala.”
Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja is pursuing only one agenda which
is to lead the struggle to liberate our State from those few rich and
influential godfathers that specialize in sharing state resources
among themselves. It is good to remind you, that his only offence that
led to his purported impeachment by Obasanjo and Adebibu with
cooperation of Akala was his insistence not to share Oyo State money
for their reckless uses. However, it is a sad story today that the
traditional ruler with some notable business contractors, who enjoy
the loot of the present government in Oyo State are now funding ACN
wanting to continue to share the treasury from where they stopped
after the sharing formula caused problems among themselves. It was
notable that they now have external god fathers apart from the one
inside, whose agenda is to share the money among themselves and
installing their children to position of authority. Let the traders,
workers, and teachers, young and old stand up to liberate our state
from these people. My Brother Ajimobi may be Sincere, but remember, he
who plays the viper dictates the tunes.
WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT AFTER LIBERATION
1) Provision of interest free loan for the business men and artisans.
2) Elimination of inappropriate taxes and levies.
3) Construction of functional maternities and health centresin all
wards of Oyo State.
4) Payment of N18,000 minimum wage
5) Good welfare packages such as leave bonus and 13th month salary to
all workers in the State.
6) Construction of model millennium schools in all the zones of Oyo State.
7) Construction of the water works in all part of Oyo State.
8) Purchase of flour for our bakers to reduce the price of bread and
allied food iteme.
9) Immediate employment of 7,000 teachers to take care of neglected
schools and education sector. Remember we have done it before, as we
employed 6,000 teachers in 2005.
By the grace of God we will industrialize Oyo State by bringing back
those factories and industries that have been frustrated out of Oyo
State, such as asphalt plant, tractor assembly, fruit juice industries
and more shall be attracted to our State.
In conclusion it is only a governor and government that are
responsible to the masses that elected them not those that are
installed by the few rich godfathers, that can carry out these
numerous progressive projects. Let us follow Ondo State example that
refused to follow band wagon of the neighbouring state which has made
the State to construct standard hospitals, good roads and other
infrastructure. This is a noble example to be followed.
A vote for (Ladoja/Accord) is a vote for yourselves which you will
never regret.
Thank You