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Oyo: ‘Adelabu Is Baselessly Arrogant’, Says Adeduntan
- Urges Ajimobi to Step Down
FORMER Commissioner for Health in Oyo State and governorship aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan has attributed the monumental loss of the party to Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state to Chief Adebayo Adelabu’s arrogance .
Dr Adeduntan, also noted that the party’s governorship nominee, Chief Adelabu supposed to seek involvements of other aspirants before and after the primary but his arrogance made him felt he could win the election with the only assistance of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The Otun Bashorun of Ibadanland, who stated this during a press conference with journalists on Saturday at his office in Alakia, Ibadan, the state capital also disclosed, “you can ask Ajimobi, we are very close. I told him that Seyi Makinde is my brother, we have been in this game since 2011, I may be older than Seyi Makinde but Seyi Makinde is older than me in politics, he has been in this game since 2003.
“He was first with Ladoja, he ran away when in 2007 he went to Ajimobi, he wanted to run for ANNP, he lost. He went to Baba Adedibu at Molete, he wanted to run for PDP, he was not allowed, Kamorudeen was given. He ran again in 2015, we did G7 together – Ibadan people that wanted to become governor. So, Seyi Makinde has been in this game for the past sixteen years. How can you bring somebody from Central Bank in July to come and fight somebody who has been in the bunker? It’s a fact. I told Ajimobi this and it’s on MTN, why I like technology is that it can be printed, you can quote me that I said it.
“This man is already holding down the bunker, is ready for war. I was Labour party candidate in 2011, I knew what they gave me, I was aspirant in 2015 you didn’t use us and you now have somebody that brought 100 Serena cars into town. He went further to hire Aderupoko and others who are making jest on the streets, while Seyi Makinde was going to Oyo North begging people, connecting people who can help him , you are making noise in Ibadan here. Ibadan is not the only place where they vote.
The ex-Commissioner continued, “We paid N25 million to obtain the form, how many Nigerians can burn N25 million? They brought you from the Central Bank instead of coming to some of us who have been in the game, you believe that you and Ajimobi can win, after injuring eight other people?
“What Tinubu does in Lagos is that oh Dr Adeduntan, don’t worry, you will go to the Senate, Akintola, we are going to make you an ambassador, he will satisfy everybody.
“We called him, come this gentleman, politics is not a game of accounting money in the Central Bank. You can quote me that Adeduntan said he’s an arrogant person, Adelabu is baselessly arrogant because that’s why I said no-holds-barred, I am the Otun Bashorun of Ibadanland by now. If he wants to succeed he has to go and wear the cloth of humility, if he’s going to be arrogant, not to people like us, not to Akintola, not even to Tegbe. Tegbe have first class at the University of Ife, I have MBBS with distinction, so if you did Accounting and you say you have first-class in Accounting, you’re insulting people like us.
“Accounting is just one possible subject, there are no subjects that I cannot do. Instead of coming down with humility. This man was on a high horse with Ajimobi on the streets of Ibadan and the Oyo state people were just making jest of them. So it was a monumental disaster”
Reacting to the insinuation that he has joined the PDP, a reason he congratulated Governor Seyi Makinde, Adeduntan said he is still in APC saying Makinde is his brother from the same compound in Oja-Oba, thus congratulating him has nothing to do with currying favour from him or joining PDP.
“I am saying this to you, Adeduntan is still a member of APC in Oyo State, Ajimobi is my brother, so is Seyi Makinde, we are from Ojo Oba, politics should not divide us. So, if anybody says we saw Adeduntan with Seyi Makinde, and so what? If I had won, Seyi Makinde will congratulate me. What is wrong in congratulating somebody who has won an election, does that mean Adeduntan is looking for a job from Seyi Makinde?”, he questioned.
The revered surgeon maintained that he is still in cordial relationship with former Governor Ajimobi, adding that the ex-governor has learnt his mistakes in the last election. He noted that disunity in APC enabled PDP to take power.
According to him, “APC didn’t lose the last election, PDP got governorship a la carte , we give governorship to PDP. Look at what happened in Osun state, with all the money that Adeleke had, APC still crushed him using all necessary means. It is very difficult to defeat an incumbent government, but once you become disunited, the game is over.
“For those that forgot that I contested alongside some aspirants during the 2019 governorship election on the platform of APC should recall that I did not lose in the primary election but was illegally and unconstitutionally denied the right to contest even when it was all over that my good people of Oyo State will cast their votes for me as their preferred governorship candidate, but some leaders of the party did the bidding of their paymaster.
“Oyo state is not Lagos, what Tinubu was able to escape, you cannot escape it in Oyo state, this is not a no man’s land. So what I am saying, in essence, is that you cannot come to Oyo state and say you are the leader of APC and you want to impose on the people.
“There was also no APC primary in Oyo State on September 30, 2018, but an imposition of a wrong candidate. The consequences of that failure of leadership led to the monumental failure of APC at the governorship, senatorial and state assembly and even presidential elections showing that he who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind and that God Almighty is God of justice and will always vindicate the just.
“I have nothing personal against Ajimobi, he’s my brother and we are very brotherly. But he himself knew he made mistake, he has asked for an apology from Nigerians including me, and he’s forgiven, APC needs to move forward”, he added.
He called for comprehensive and genuine reconciliation of active APC members ahead of 2023 and urged the former governor Abiola Ajimobi to step aside and allow younger elements to take over the party in order to move it forward, just as he condemned the imposition of candidates against the wishes of other aspirants.
In his words, “APC cannot move forward if all those people that caused the trouble are still there and they are not ready to reconcile. Reconciliation comes from the mind, it comes from the heart. If APC wants to reconcile against 2023, the party must realize that it has to be one man, one vote. At least, if some of us like me would be there, it has to be a direct vote and it can not be indirect. Indirect vote killed APC in the last election.
“What I am saying, in essence, is that imposition of candidate needs to go, new leadership must emerge in APC, it cannot be the old leadership. Like I said earlier on, what is going to happen to Adeduntan between 2019 and 2023? I believe in Almighty Allah and if you’re a Christian I believe in Jesus Christ because you can’t be a Muslim without accepting Jesus Christ using the Quran. Nobody will cage Adeduntan in 2023, I don’t need APC or PDP, God Almighty will direct where Adeduntan is going to go but I am in APC right now. APC will not cage anybody.
“But, if anybody is now saying that the APC that we have today is Adelabu ‘s APC, they are deceiving themselves, because Akintola is dredging in, Tegbe and others are waiting, even Teslim and others are waiting, it must be a free party, that’s the only way APC can survive and succeed. APC will be compelled to do what it needs to do if we want to succeed as a party. APC cannot remain the way it is and succeed, if there is going to be a primary in 2023, it has to be a direct primary without anybody influencing and saying this is the person I want to impose on you.
“And let me also close that Governor Ajimobi as I said is my brother, he trained in the US, when things like this happen after this kind of disaster what I believe he should do is not even a question of calling anybody, or he himself wanted to remain, leader, I think just like Douglas said old soldiers never die; they just fade away. I think Governor Ajimobi should try to step aside a little bit, allow younger elements to take over that party, if he does not, if what he wants to do is the same thing, what happened in 2019 will be a child’s play in 2023, but I can tell you Adeduntan will not be there by the grace of God”, the ex- Commissioner concluded.
Dr Adeduntan, however thanked Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji for the honour done to him with the conferment and promise to continue to assist the people of Ibadan and by extension Oyo state.
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.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has declared his intention to contest the Oyo South Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections.
Oseni made his aspiration known during a high-level meeting with the Ibarapa APC Elders’ and Leaders’ Forum, comprising the G9 and the expanded G64 caucus, held at the party secretariat in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area, over the weekend.
The G9 and G64 groups consist of influential stakeholders drawn from Ibarapa East, Ibarapa Central, and Ibarapa North local government areas.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker expressed appreciation to the forum for their support and confidence in his leadership and vision.
He said his ambition to represent Oyo South Senatorial District was anchored on a determination to consolidate and expand his record of performance.
Oseni said, “This aspiration is not built on mere rhetoric, but on the continuity and expansion of a proven track record of quality representation and grassroots-oriented governance.”
While soliciting the support of party leaders, he described his ambition as a divine call to serve the people with renewed dedication.
According to him, “This is not a time for self-glory but a sacred responsibility to intensify efforts towards real development, bring more relief to our people and ensure inclusive governance.”
He pledged not to betray the trust reposed in him by party elders and faithful, stressing that his aspiration is rooted in progressive ideals and a genuine commitment to the development of the district.
Oseni also urged leaders in the zone to mobilise support towards delivering one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming election.
Speaking at the meeting, a leader from Ibarapa East, Chief Michael Morawo, lauded the lawmaker for delivering democratic dividends and strengthening the party structure. He added that Oseni has demonstrated commendable leadership through his performance, noting that his impact in stabilising the party within the constituency is evident.
Similarly, a former council chairman in Ibarapa Central, Chief Theophilus Adenrele, commended the lawmaker for not betraying the trust reposed in him. Also, a chieftain from Ibarapa North, Chief Francis Babalola, described Oseni as a humble leader committed to progressive ideals, dismissing speculations about his possible defection if he does not secure the governorship ticket.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Timothy Jolaoso, said the lawmaker enjoys widespread grassroots acceptance that cuts across political divides.
Jolaoso said, “All indicators consistently point to Oseni as a candidate with acceptance that transcends party lines. He is not only capable but a man of deep faith with proven empathy for the downtrodden.”
He added, “He possesses the goodwill, financial strength, and public trust required for leadership.”
The elder statesman further noted that Oseni’s performance in the House of Representatives, alongside his role as Chairman of the FERMA Committee, underscores his competence and commitment to development.
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