By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
It was a bumper harvest for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State as former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, his former deputy, Ambassador TaofeeK Arapaja, former Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin and other prominent politicians in the state defected to the party.
Welcoming the defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and Accord party to the APC , the party’s National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
declared that the end has come for the opposition political parties in Oyo state.
Asiwaju Tinubu emphasized that it is now glaring that in Nigeria presently, “APC is the only available party in Nigeria”
“Opposition is finished in Oyo State. The belly of their fish is already smiling at the sun. Today is very important for us as it is the birthday of our Governor in the State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi who has broken the jinx of second term in the State. I thank my friend Alao-Akala; I thank the former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin; I thank Chief Ayodele Adigun and all others for building this House (APC). We are proud of our party. It is the only available party in Nigeria”, he said.
Leading the defectors into the APC, Otunba Adebayo Alao- Akala said PDP is now a dead political party in and across Oyo state with the massive defection of political bigwigs in the state to the APC and that there will be no going back in the party’s chance of retain the state in 2019.
“There is no more PDP in Oyo State. By God’s grace, the national echelon of the APC should be rest assured that Oyo State is intact for APC in 2019. I thank Governor Ajimobi for allowing us to come in.” he said
Otunba Akala added “I can boldly say without bragging that everyone defecting today had worked under me. All the four Labour Party lawmakers in the State House of Assembly are also here with me in APC. We shall all work for and support APC. Before, I had always been fighting my senior brother, Chief Akin Oke (the APC Chairman) anytime we had elections. But as from.now on, he will be sending me on errands”.
In his comment, former Senate leader,Senator Teslim Folarin
said Governor Ajimobi has become a Transformer in the Oyo state political arena that whoever wants to be something in Oyo State now like the time of late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, should connect to him.
Speaking the only PDP House of Representatives member in Oyo state, Honourable Olusegun Odebunmi said, “the fact that I.am the only PDP Rep in Oyo and that I am decamping to APC today, all the youths of Oyo State should be assured that the only party that can guarantee their care is the APC. I have done my research and I have seen that it is the party that can take us to the Promised Land.”
Governor Abiola Ajimobi while speaking at the rally said warning any aspirants into any position in Oyo should recognise him and come to him, saying “those of you aspiring to be somebody, don’t run to Asiwaju in Lagos. Asiwaju does not need your money.”.
” Come to me. Don’t shirt-circuit because I am the Quantic Prophet Muhammed of Oyo State. The local government elections are coming in March next year and we are going to winchester all. All other parties in the State are now moribund leaders are political pensioners”.
Prominent among the defectors are Senator Brimo Yusuff, former Secretary to State Government under the administration of Governor Rasidi Ladoja, Dr Ayodele Adigun , former Oyo State PDP Charman Hon. Yinka Taiwo, former Oyo Speaker Alhaji Asimiyu Alarape, Mrs Olarewaju Otiti, Hon. Tajudeen Olarewaju, Kayode Akande, Mrs Kemi Jayeoba Olorunsogo, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan (former CPS to late Governor Lamidi Adesina). Hon. Ademola Ojo, Hon. Folake Olunloyo-Osinowo, among others.
The Labour Party members that in the Oyo State House of Assembly that defected into APC are Honourables Tunji Ojo, Joshua Oyebamiji, Lukman Balogun.