Politics
My Political Journey To Zenith Labour Party || By Rashidi Ladoja
AFTER the 2015 elections, Sen Ayo Adeseun and the likes came to me and analysed the results of the state election which gave Sen Abiola Ajimobi just thirty two percent while other opposition parties shared the rest among themselves. They therefore advocated the fusion of all the parties which eventually gave birth to the emergence of a new PDP.
Unfortunately, we later discovered those holding the party at the national level only wanted to enslave us as we got to know that they had already made up their minds on who would carry the flag of the party as a guber candidate.
Political pundits and gladiators started coming around to solicit our support. Among them was the former governor of Osun state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko, the elder statesman, Chief Olu Falae sent emissaries and a host of other eminent personalities. Later, a break away faction of the APC called the Unity Forum came to me and solicited that we come together, they claimed they had nothing against President Muhammadu Buhari but Sen Ajimobi and said they would prefer a party without a presidential candidate so that they will have the opportunity to work for Buhari and have a new governor that will not be a tutelage of Governor Ajimobi .
That was the beginning of the formation of the ADC with the coalition of my group, the Labour Party, the Unity Forum, the CNM and a host of others. We decided to have a caretaker committee charged with the responsibility to conduct congresses from the ward to the state levels but it was like the blind was driving the vehicle. I have never seen a situation where congresses will be conducted into the three tiers, that is, the wards, local and state, with just a day interval! And up till this moment, the party cannot be said to have standing executive committees in the wards and local governments.
The worst of scenario played out when we were to have candidates for various elective offices. In Ibarapa East/ Ido, the House of Representatives candidate slotted in his Personal Assistant as the House of Assembly candidate, ditto for Ibadan North West, Ibadan North East and so on and so forth. They came up with the idea of automatic tickets for all serving National Assembly members as if they all did well in their various constituencies to offer them such a ticket. In the Oke Ogun area of state, all seven state Assembly, three Reps candidates are from the Unity Forum, others are just there to look on and serve them, the people who are to be represented have no in-puts at all.
In Iseyin axis where there are four local governments presenting a federal Rep, the Unity Forum went ahead to have both the Rep and Assembly candidates from Iseyin and later the Deputy Governorship candidate from Iseyin again at the detriment of other local governments, where is justice here, how can you win elections with this kind of arrangement?
Are you really taking the interests of the people into consideration at all?
As a politician of note, the interest of the people takes the center stage and the buck stops on my table, the people will ask me, they won’t ask them. When we asked all the leaders of the Unity Forum to come over so that we can iron it out, only Sen Monsura Sunmonu came and the meeting had to be postponed. For the rescheduled meeting, none of them turned up. You can imagine how insultive that could be to a man of my age and status.
With that weak structure, I was so sure the ADC can’t win any election, and with the so called automatic tickets here and there where the people are already waiting to take their pounds of flesh from the so called representatives, those in that party are only wasting their time.
We now gave those willing to work with us, including Sen. Olufemi Lanleyin, the grace to come with us into the Zenith Labour Party but declined. To God be the glory, we now have a strong structure good enough to win elections as most of the people in all the geo-political zones—Ibadan,Oyo Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, all reasoned with us.
Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo South Senatorial District have endorsed a member of the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The endorsement was announced on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Alice Hall, Ibadan, with party leaders, stakeholders, local government chairmen and state executive members from the nine local government areas in attendance.
The councils represented at the meeting are Ibadan North, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North and Ido.
The stakeholders expressed satisfaction with Oseni’s aspiration, describing it as timely, credible and anchored on tested leadership and grassroots appeal.
Those present at the meeting included Chief Timothy Jolaoso (Ibarapa East); Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe (Ido); Chief Abdulrauf Bello (Ido); Alhaji Muili Oluokun (Ibadan North-West); Alhaji Mufutau Adisa (Ibadan South-East); Alhaji Bello Oladeji (Ibadan North); Prince Gbade Lana (Ibadan North-East); Engr. Olatunji (Ibadan South-West); Comrade Wale Gbadamosi (Ibarapa North); and Alhaja Moji Adetona (Ibarapa Central).
Other party officials in attendance were the senatorial chairman, Alhaji Mojeed Adebayo; the secretary, Fatai Adesina; Welfare Officer, Sunday Babalola; Deputy Women Leader, Alhaja Fatimah Hassan; Auditor, Alhaja Tinu Adigun; Youth Leader, Lekan Adebayo; Ex-Officio member, Kola Amoo; Treasurer, Lateef Ajiboye; and Senatorial Youth Leader, Olalekan Olowe.
A chieftain of the party in Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Shina Alabi, moved the motion for the lawmaker’s endorsement, which was seconded and unanimously adopted by the stakeholders.
Alabi said Oseni’s decision to abide by President Bola Tinubu’s directive to step down his governorship ambition for the senatorial race underscored his loyalty and commitment to party unity.
He said, “Hon. Oseni has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare of the people. His leadership style is inclusive, responsive and development-driven. We are convinced that his emergence as the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District will strengthen the party’s chances and guarantee effective representation.”
He also urged party members to remain united and rally behind credible aspirants with proven capacity and electoral value.
In his remarks, Hon. Aderemi Oseni said his decision to pursue the senatorial seat followed the presidential directives, noting that he accepted the decision in the interest of party cohesion, progress and stability. He recalled that he had earlier prepared for the Oyo South senatorial race in the 2023 general elections, having already purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms as part of an arrangement reached, before stepping down following appeals by party leaders.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the party must close ranks to reclaim political dominance in the senatorial district.
According to him, “There is a huge task ahead, especially with several House of Representatives seats in the district currently held by the opposition. We must work together, mobilise effectively and secure victory for our party and leader, President Bola Tinubu”.
Oseni thanked party leaders and stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his commitment to advancing the interests of Oyo South Senatorial District.
The meeting also had representatives from all nine local government areas, with about 10 leaders from each council in attendance.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.
An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.
However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.
He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.
Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.
He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”
The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.
He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.
Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.
“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.
Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.
Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.
But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.
“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.
He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.
The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.
“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.
Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.
He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.
The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
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