Leading gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Chief Bayo Adelabu, has said 2019 is a defining year for the people of the state as any would-be governor would be scrutinised and adequately interrogated by the electorate to ensure the best man with outstanding pedigree emerges as the occupant of Agodi Government House.
The immediate past Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria remarked further that any moneybag politician willing to purchase the conscience of the electorate to sell their votes for a pot of porridge should better have a rethink because doing so would make the concerned to lose his deposits.
Adelabu spoke to journalists in Ibadan in continuation of his consultations with APC leaders, supporters and stakeholders across local governments and the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, where he received royal blessings for the 2019 race on Thursday.
Responding to a question on the gale of defections across political parties, Adelabu, who is a grandson of one of the founding fathers of Nigeria, Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, popularly known as Penkelemesi, said: “Our nascent democracy is fast improving and maturing.
“No mediocre can hide under any political party to contest election again in Oyo State.
“The electorate are more interested in the personality, pedigree and the track records of each of the candidates beyond party politics.
“On our political parties, there is no ideological difference in our political parties and that is why it is easier for politicians to move from one political party to another.
“And concerning the 2019 race, our people have started to ask questions and they will continue to do so.
“They ask question about our educational background, our exposure, success of our family and how we have contributed to the development of their immediate environment because they are tired of empty promises.
“We are moving beyond vote buying.
“Electorate will still articulate and weigh their decision despite whatever money you give them.
“Our people are no more selling their future for little money.
“They know that politicians easily forget them when they get to office and those unique questions are my selling points having been on the side of the masses all my life.”
Adelabu lauded the Governor of the State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for his exceptional achievements in the area of peace and security, education, agriculture, health, commerce and infrastructural facilities across the geopolitical zones of the state, stressing that the governor’s success should be a man imbued with budding talents and skills, energies, experience, and love of the masses to take the people of the state where they ought to be.