By OLATUNDE AJAYI

Indigenes of Oke Ogun, Oyo North Senatorial District, have rejected the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) zoning arrangement which saw the emergence of Chief Moses Adeyemo as the state Chairman.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeyemo, a former deputy governor under the late Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, is an indigene of Igboho, Orelope Local Government Area in the Oke-Ogun area.

The former deputy governor from 2011 to 2019 was unanimously adopted as consensus candidate at the party’s state congress, held on Tuesday at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan.

The indigenes, under the aegis of “Egbe Ajosepo fun Itesiwaju Gbogbo Wa”, a socio-cultural group, alleged that zoning the chairmanship position to it was a strategic plot to rob the zone of the opportunity of the governorship slot in 2027 election.

The National Chairman of the group, Mr Dauda Olaifa, in an interview with NAN, on Wednesday, said that Oke-Ogun zone had made its demand for governorship slot known to political parties through various news conferences, consultations, and advocacy to APC secretariat in Ibadan.

Olaifa said that the move was aimed to openly declare collective agreement of the zone not to accept party chairmanship position, deputy governor slot or any other consolation post in exchange for governorship slot.

“In our previous press engagements and consultations, we highlighted that Oke-Ogun has historically produced Party Chairmen since 1999 across AD/APC and PDP.

“Our zone, in the past has produced party chairmen such as Chief Michael Koleoso, Chief David Adesola, Hon. Isaac Omodewu, Mr Jacob Adetoro, Mr Omokunmi Mustapha, Hon. Michael Okunlade, Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro among others.

“Unfortunately, another indigene of the Oke-Ogun was appointed as APC Chairman on Tuesday.

“This marks the eight time that the party chairman will emerge from our zone while other regions have held the position only once or twice.

“Similarly, Oke-Ogun has produced five deputy governors.

“We produced Alhaji Hammed Gbadamosi, Mr Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Moses Adeyemo, Alhaji Rauf Olaniyan and Alhaji Bayo Lawal, the incumbent deputy governor.

“Yet, the governorship seat has consistently eluded Oke-Ogun despite its huge population across 10 local government areas, “he said.

Olaifa said that experience had shown that whenever the deputy governor or party Chairman posts are allocated to Oke-Ogun, the path to the governorship is effectively blocked.

He said that the people of Oke-Ogun were prepared to endorse any political party that pick one of the already presented competent sons of zone as its governorship candidate in 2027.

“We categorically reject the zoning of the APC Party Chairman to our region.

“Among our capable aspirants are: Alhaji Bayo Shittu, Alhaji Rauf Olaniyan, Dr Gbenga Adegbola, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Dr Kazeem Ayandoye.

“While we reiterate our unwavering support for the second-term agenda of President Bola Tinubu. We are committed to assisting in its realisation.

“However, our support is conditional, patriotic, and principled,” Olaifa said. (NAN)