Ahead of 2015 elections, Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to spend his old age resting instead of making efforts to become a governor of the state again.

This view was contained in a statement issued, Saturday, by the Director of Publicity and Strategy, of the party, Olawale Sadare, describing the ambition of the former governor, eight years after he vacated the office, as a misplaced priority as well as a renewed attempt to plunge the state into another round of avoidable political crisis.

The statement reads in part, “We have watched with keen interest how the Septuagenarian ex-governor has been moving round to garner support for his ambition to return to Agodi Government House in 2015.

“We would like to put it on record that Sen. Ladoja is an individual who has had ego boosted by undeserved favour from political godfathers in the past but with only records of poor performance to show for each of the period he has held different political positions. Therefore, he cannot in any way constitute an impediment to the electoral success of the APC in any elections."

"We became more worried when the mass media revealed how he went to the extent of lobbying the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, with a view to hijacking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the expense of some known gladiators."

Reacting to this development, however, a chieftain of Accord Party, Mr Lanre Ogundipe, said APC’s suggestion was laughable, stating that Ladoja has enough experience to lead the state and be a father figure.

He said: “APC is only looking for cheap political points. When did APC become regulator in political field to determine age in politics? They call themselves progressives but have they forgotten that their own Adekunle Ajasin, Akande and Adefarati contested and won at the same age brackets with Ladoja? At over 70, we have politicians who do better than younger ones. Age is synonymous with experience and wisdom.”

•Photo shows Ladoja.

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