Former governor of Oyo State and the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the forthcoming general election, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala has disclosed that he was truly in the race to succeed Governor Abiola Ajimobi on May 29, 2019 as against insinuations from “some mischievous and unscrupulous elements who seek to discredit him for selfish reasons”.
Alao-Akala, in a statement issued in Ibadan and made available to journalists by the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Akala (2019) Campaign Organization, Barrister Abraham Ojo, refuted claims that he was not keen on winning the election but instead playing a decoy card in favor of an unnamed cabal or interest group.
“Those peddling rumours of Alao-Akala not in serious contention for the post of Oyo State governor in 2019 are the real enemies of the people whose antics were just to misinform, mislead and misdirect the electorate. They feel doing so would make the teeming masses who have suffered, and still suffering, in their hands lose interest in the forthcoming elections and thus offer them a field day to earn unpopular mandates.
“Apparently, Alao-Akala is their only headache in view of his reputation and soaring popularity among the good people of the Pacesetters State and we have no apologies over this. In him (Alao-Akala), the good people of Oyo State have seen a passionate, pragmatic and productive leader who never compromises service for grandstanding or reduce governance to mere cosmetics of window dressing and witty speeches.
“The period of between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2019 is better regarded as an inevitable interregnum. There is no point crying over spilled milk but there is a dire need for the people across all the geographical zones of Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa to rise up to the task of rescuing the state from the shackles of economic losses, hunger and poverty as a result of high-handedness, misplaced priorities and impunity in the hands of the powers-that-be.
“Without mincing, Otunba Alao-Akala will not watch helplessly as workers and pensioners are continued to be denied of their entitlements as, and when, due. He will never look away as state-owned tertiary institutions are becoming shadows of themselves. He will not sleep off when a few individuals are being made billionaire through government treasury at the expense of the teeming masses. Consequently, Alao-Akala is out on a rescue mission and now is the time.
“To lend credence to the struggle this time, the ADP has been blessed with the best hands as candidates for the three Senatorial districts, 14 House of Representatives seats as well as 32 House of Assembly seats. All the voters need do is to cast their ballots for all the candidates of the ADP on February 16 and March 2, 2019 respectively.
With this, the task of genuine restoration and consolidation would be kick started in earnest.” Alao-Akala stated
