Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, stood still yesterday, when
Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, representing Oyo South Senatorial District at
the National Assembly, defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC)
to the Accord Party (AP).He was formally received by the National
Leader of AP and former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja,
at the Mapo Hall. Ladoja presented the party’s flag to him at 2:45p.m.
The large crowd that stormed Mapo Hall from Ibadan, Ibarapa,
Oke-Ogun, Oyo and Ogbomoso zones of the state caused gridlock in Beere,
Labiran, Oke-Are, Molete, Ita-Merin, Agbeni and other parts of Ibadan
metropolis.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that traffic started building up towards Mapo Hall as early as 9a.m for the programme that commenced at 1:05p.m. and by 11:30a.m, the logjam from Beere had extended to Adeoyo towards Total Garden, Oje, Molete Ita-merin and others.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Lanlehin thanked the people of Oyo State for their support, describing AP as the only party that has the solution to the myriad of socio-economic and political challenges retarding the progress of the state.
He hoped that the AP would record landslide in the polls for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship seats next year in the state.
Receiving the defectors, Ladoja said the tentacles of the party have been spread strongly to other parts of the state, adding that it was not limited to Ibadan as it was prior to the 2011 general elections.
“Our party gives priority attention to the masses. Accord Party is not a one-man party. The people that have been in the party since inception and those that are just joining, would be given a level playing field,” he stated.
Ladoja, who said he was yet to get his permanent voter card from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), enjoined the party faithful to ensure that they register and get their voter cards before the 2015 general elections. He threatened that he would lead a peaceful protest to INEC office in Oyo State if he did not get his voter card in time.
“The Accord Party will win this election. When I become governor, we will conduct local government elections within the four months. If the APC-led government in the state wants to test its popularity, let it conduct local government election,” he said.
Apart from Lanlehin, Senator Gbenga Babalola, who represented Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former special adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state on Transport and former Chairman, Akinyele Local Government, Prince Yemi Aderibigbe also defected to AP.
Son of the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, Semi Alao, also declared publicly for the Accord Party. Also on the defectors’ lists are the former woman leader of PDP in Egbeda Local Government Area, Alhaja Haulat Olasunkanmi; former chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Demola Ojo, from Ibarapa; Mr. Samuel Adejumobi, fondly called Agbarapo; Dr. Fola Akinosun and scores of others.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that traffic started building up towards Mapo Hall as early as 9a.m for the programme that commenced at 1:05p.m. and by 11:30a.m, the logjam from Beere had extended to Adeoyo towards Total Garden, Oje, Molete Ita-merin and others.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Lanlehin thanked the people of Oyo State for their support, describing AP as the only party that has the solution to the myriad of socio-economic and political challenges retarding the progress of the state.
He hoped that the AP would record landslide in the polls for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship seats next year in the state.
Receiving the defectors, Ladoja said the tentacles of the party have been spread strongly to other parts of the state, adding that it was not limited to Ibadan as it was prior to the 2011 general elections.
“Our party gives priority attention to the masses. Accord Party is not a one-man party. The people that have been in the party since inception and those that are just joining, would be given a level playing field,” he stated.
Ladoja, who said he was yet to get his permanent voter card from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), enjoined the party faithful to ensure that they register and get their voter cards before the 2015 general elections. He threatened that he would lead a peaceful protest to INEC office in Oyo State if he did not get his voter card in time.
“The Accord Party will win this election. When I become governor, we will conduct local government elections within the four months. If the APC-led government in the state wants to test its popularity, let it conduct local government election,” he said.
Apart from Lanlehin, Senator Gbenga Babalola, who represented Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former special adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state on Transport and former Chairman, Akinyele Local Government, Prince Yemi Aderibigbe also defected to AP.
Son of the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, Semi Alao, also declared publicly for the Accord Party. Also on the defectors’ lists are the former woman leader of PDP in Egbeda Local Government Area, Alhaja Haulat Olasunkanmi; former chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Demola Ojo, from Ibarapa; Mr. Samuel Adejumobi, fondly called Agbarapo; Dr. Fola Akinosun and scores of others.
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Ibadan stands still for Ladoja |
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