Oyinlola joins APC, indicts Omisore in Ige’s murder

A former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Tuesday charged Yoruba indigenes not to cast their votes for the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate in the August 9 governorship election in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Oyinlola, who declared for the All Progressives Congress from his party, the PDP, listed several reasons why the PDP represented retrogression for the Yoruba people.
He described the PDP as a party of deceit and that it has sidelined the Yoruba in the scheme of things.
At the mega rally of the APC in support of the second term ambition of Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the Osogbo township stadium, Oyinlola said that President Goodluck Jonathan deceived former President Olusegun Obasanjo to get his backing to become the president in the 2011 election.
He averred that immediately after he got the people’s mandate, Jonathan abandoned the Yoruba agenda in the quest to get top political appointments at the federal level.
Oyinlola pointed out that it was because of the deceit of the PDP that he decided to dump the party for the APC when it became clearer that the party had nothing to offer other than deceit.
He stated that the people need not be told of the massive support for Aregbesola whom he described as a grassroots politician, noting that if all the former governors of Osun State are in support of his second term in office, he will also be a part of them.
In Oyinlola’s words: “In 2010, President Jonathan sent for me and told me that he wanted to contest for the Presidency.
“I asked him to consult Bab‎a Olusegun Obasanjo.
“It was through Obasanjo that he became President.
“Instead of paying people who worked for the realisation of his ambition with good, he paid them back with deceit.
“All he promised them was not given them.
“Yoruba people should be wary to vote for PDP and its candidate.
“In Jonathan’s cabinet,‎ there is no Yoruba who is in the rank of first 20 in federal setting power hierarchy.
“Their candidate in Osun is selfish and is always c‎oncerned about himself and his associates.
“All of his associates are those who were remanded with him in prison over the brutal assassination of the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, late Chief Ajibola Ige.”
Oyinlola therefore asked rhetorically whether only people of doubtful character can aspire to political offices in the country like the PDP’s candidate and his followers in Osun State.
The Okuku prince noted that the PDP’s house in Osun State is now in total disarray and all the bigwigs in that party have venture‎d into a prosperous and progressive party as APC.
He cited the example of notable former PDP members who have decamped into APC, including the first executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke; and his former Chief of Staff, Elder Peter Babalola, among others.
Describing the PDP in Osun State as an empty shell, Oyinlola said those who have not left the PDP for the APC have left for the Labour Party.
He listed the former Secretary to the State Government under his government, Engr. Fatai Akinbade ,as another prominent PDP leader who had left.
Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, asked the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow the people’s wish to reign in the forthcoming election in Osun State.
Odigie-Oyegun said: “In Osun, I have seen love and passion for Aregbesola.
“In Osun, I have seen what it means for a governor to be popular.
“For those who have ears, let them hear and not tamper with a single vote in Osun.
“From now on, the battle line is drawn.
“The APC will not recognise any government with a stolen mandate.
“It must not happen again.
“In February 2015, the people of this country want change.
“If anybody dares to steal the people’s mandate come 2015, APC would not recognize that government.”
Also speaking at the event, the National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, charged INEC to allow the people’s will to reflect in the result of the August 9 election‎ in Osun State.
Tinubu told APC members not to be intimidated by the heavy presence of security personnel, saying that security agents should act according to the constitution.
Aregbesola noted that the PDP candidate lacks the capacity to carry on with the transformation his administration has embarked upon in Osun State.
Aregbesola saluted the conduct of security agencies, tasking them to be law-abiding and do their duty without bias, adding that Osun State people will cooperate with the security agents and will not foment trouble because they are peace-loving people.
Aregbesola said while others have no ideas of what to do with power, he thinks about policies and programmes that will positively turn the fortunes of the people.