By: BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Governor Abiola Ajimobi has advocated proper scrutiny and integrity check for aspirants wishing to contest in the 2019 general elections.
The governor made the call on Wednesday while speaking during a condolence visit to the family of a late leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo Central Senatorial District, Pa Samuel Ogundiran, in Jobele, Afijio Local Government Area.
Governor Ajimobi pointed out that the time is ripe for all the registered political parties in the country to start embarking on the conduct of proper scrutiny and integrity check for aspirants jostling for their tickets.
“I want to say that politicians aspiring for political offices must be thoroughly screened from home to know them better before they can event get the ticket. Most aspirants do not have the discipline and decorum to lead others.” he said.
According to Governor Ajimobi, this became necessary in view of the unfolding scenario in the nation’s political circuit especially in the progressives camp, saying, the “progressives politics is today riddled with greed.”
“Progressives politics is today riddled with greed. It is no more the same progressives we used to know. It is all about money. If you give them money yesterday and you have none to give them today, you will be called.”
Emphasizing that he is a progressive politician, he lamented the growing incidence of greed and desperation to amass wealth in the modern day progressives politics as such .”is alien to the progressives’ politics of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo era”.
He maintained that as a player of progressive politics, his own brand of politics places emphasis on winning elections, just as the leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on the late APC leader, the governor described the deceased politician as “one of the last men standing” among the disciples of Awolowo, who embraced progressives politics till death.
“Chief Awolowo maintained his stand in politics, despite pressures from the center and his followers, like Pa Ogundiran, would remain resolute on their ideology. Baba died when his wisdom on progressive politics is still needed. He was a core progressive politician. I urge his children and youths in general to emulate the good deeds of Baba.”
The governor while advising the children of the late politician to emulate the good deeds of their father, bearing in mind that they could someday also assume positions of leadership. Governor Ajimobi prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased, adding that the void created by his departure would be too difficult to fill.
