A frontline governorship hopeful under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Engineer Oluwaseyi Makinde at the weekend denied insinuations in some quarters that he is dragging the leadership of the party with a former Governor of the state, Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja.
He declared that this is far from the truth as he claimed that the former governor remains his leader as well as leader of the party in the State.
Makinde made this declaration while speaking at the maiden interactive session he organised for executive members of the party across the 351 wards and the 33 local government areas of the state held in Ibadan, the state capital.
He maintained that Ladoja being a former Governor, at all times is still his leader considering his political experience, age and influence, noting that the former Governor remains his father politically, hence there is no need for him to drag the leadership of the party with him.
According to him, “Some people said I am dragging the leadership of the party with Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, it is not so. He is still the leader of the party in the state and my leader in Oyo state.
He advised the party members to work assiduously towards ensuring that the aim of the party in taking the mantle of governance from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 come to reality.
“What we want to do is to send APC away in 2019. After that, we will call ourselves and move forward. I am not here to declare my governorship ambition but to ensure that I interact with party executives. The essence of this meeting is to interact with the party executives – all the 33 local government areas in Oyo state. We have the opportunity to meet them and interact with them from our various local government areas.
“I am a member of the party, I am entitled to interact with them, the executive of the party, when it is time for me to formally declare, we have done it before, we know how to do it. Declaration is not something that you do in the corner of your room. It is to tell the people what you have for them. Politics is all about conflict and resolution, there may be challenges but we will address them as family across board within the party so that we can move forward and face the APC.
“All of us need to go and read the constitution of our party. So I am begging all of us, we should not fight ourselves. Let us ensure we work together, work for peace to reign. I have called Senator Ayo Adeseun, I have called Chief Jumoke Akinjide and I have sent text message to Senator Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja.
“I am begging you to come out and let people know that we are ready to chase APC out of power.”
At the interactive session were leaders of the party including Chief Jacob Adetoro, Ex- Speakers of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Moroof Atilola and Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Hon. Oluyemi Taiwo, Hon. Aderemi Ayodele, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, PDP Oyo state women leader and other leaders of the party in the state.
Packaged by Ojo Peter and Dare Alesinloye
