As political permutations change ahead of August 15 gubernatorial poll in Osun, former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Sunday advanced reasons for not backing the re-election bid of Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is contesting on the platform of Accord.

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, alongside former Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, and former national vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South West, Tajudeen Oladipo, with their supporters officially adopted Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) popularly known as AMBO, as their candidate for Saturday’s governorship poll.

In an address delivered on behalf of other stakeholders at WOCDIF Event Centre, in Osogbo, the former governor said their resolve to back Oyebamiji was informed by the need for a new direction in the overall interest of Osun State.

He said despite their contributions to the emergence of Adeleke as the governor in 2022, the lack of the inclusiveness in his administration had severed political ties with major stakeholders.

According to Oyinlola, “we were among the major stakeholders who worked tirelessly towards the emergence of the present administration under the platform of the PDP.

“Politics is temporary, but Osun State is permanent. Political parties may change, political alliances may change, administrations may come and go, but the people of Osun will remain. Our responsibility as leaders is therefore to make decisions that will protect the future of our people.

“We believed in that project. We supported it. We mobilised our people for it. We invested our time, energy and political capital in it because we believed that it represented the aspirations of our people. Unfortunately, along the line, things began to fall apart.

“One of the major issues that have created this unfortunate situation, in our considered view, is the lack of inclusiveness in the governance of our state. We believe strongly that no party or government can succeed sustainably when it does not carry its people and leaders along, “he stated.

While clarifying that they still remained members of the PDP, Oyinlola added: “Our membership of the PDP is not in question. We are proud members of the party, and we acknowledge the sacrifices, contributions and struggles that have brought the PDP to where it is today.

“However, being members of a political party does not mean that we should abandon our conscience or the larger interest of the people we have served.

Party loyalty is important, but the interest of Osun State must always come first.

“Rather, we are exercising our conscience as stakeholders who have served this state and who believe that, at this particular moment, Osun State requires a different direction.

“It is on this basis that we have resolved to officially declare our support for Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Our support for AMBO is therefore a decision born out of necessity, conviction and our sincere desire for the progress of Osun State. Our political identity remains with the PDP, but our electoral decision at this moment is to support a candidate who we believe can provide the kind of inclusive leadership that Osun State deserves,” Oyinlola remarked. (The Guardian)

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