The ruling Oyo state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed a former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner for Health under last administration in the state, Dr Abdulazeez Adeduntan into the party.
According to Oyo state PDP, Adeduntan’s defection into PDP has confirmed that what is left in the state chapter of APC is a group of political jesters and clowns who have busied themselves building beautiful castles in the air maintaining that the party is no longer relevant and could no longer be referred to as the main opposition party in the state.
Meanwhile the party has also said Governor Seyi Makinde’s kid-gloves approach in handling state affair relating to the gruesome murder of former State chairman of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Lateef Salami popularly known as Eleweomo, has continued to emboldened suspect in the case.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of PDP, Akeem Olatunji on Thursday (today) stressed the need for the Governor to reopen the murder case in other not to only help family of the late NURTW boss pursue justice but also be seen to be ensure deterrent is served on others in the society no matter how highly placed.
The governorship candidate of the APC in Oyo state, Senator Teslim Folarin was the prime suspect in the murder of late Alhaji Eleweomo and was arraigned in court to that effect alongside three others charged with him on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.
Oyo state PDP maintained that candidate of APC in Oyo state, Senator Folarin has particularly deployed attacks and political blackmail against the Makinde led administration using the State Park Management Chairman, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi popularly known as Auxillary as his target to advance his smear campaign against the present government.
Olatunji noted that Folarin has deliberately focused his entire media and public engagements on trying to blackmail Makinde’s government and drifting completely away from any state matters and other related issues throughout his campaign.
The ruling PDP said, Senator Folarin is the prime suspect in the murder of late Alhaji Lateef Salako popularly known as and as things stands today, the case before the court is still undecided which makes the APC governorship candidate still the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of the late NURTW chairman in Oyo state.
“Legal counsel to Folarin at the time of hearing the case in court had successfully argued that the magistrate court where Folarin was arraigned lacked competent jurisdiction to entertain it leading to adjournment that has lingered and making the case still undecided till date.
“The PDP in Oyo state is using this medium to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of equity, fairness and justice to all regardless of social and economic status in our society and on this note we seriously appeal to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo state, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to in the spirit of justice set measures in place to rearraigned Senator Teslim Folarin, who remains the prime suspect on this case.
“This move if effected, will not only be creating a sense of justice in the minds of the family of late Eleweomo but also be sending a strong warning to other persons in the society no matter how highly placed with similar audacity to have a rethink knowing that soon or later, the long arm of the law will definitely catch up with them.
“As the state prepares on a final lap towards another governorship election, it will amount to sheer insult on the collective sensibility of late Eleweomo’s family as well as his friends and loved ones to see a man alleged and arraigned in court as the prime suspect in the gruesome killing of their loved one running to become the governor of the state. For whatever reason, it is only ideal and in fact, a noble thing for Folarin to first clear his name from the murder charges before seeking any further elective office in Oyo state otherwise, justice would be perceived to have been derailed.”
