Oyinlola dumps PDP for APC

BY ABU IDRISU

Former Osun state governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and aligned with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The party’s flag and its emblem, broom were handed over to him by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, after being presented by his old time friend and serving Senator, Professor Sola Adeyeye, who is representing the Osun Central Senatorial district.

In his address at the rally in Osogbo City Stadium, Oyinlola recalled that his travail with the ruling party and President Goodluck Jonathan started when in 2011, he was invited by Mr. President who then indicated interest to run for the 2011 Presidency.

According to him, he told the President then that the right person to approach, was former

President Olusegun, adding that they later agreed, worked and struggled together to ensure his victory in the poll held over three years ago.

He stated that after the election, Jonathan did not only rubbished and sidelined the former President, but also marginalized the entire South West where he and Obasanjo belonged. He added that President Jonathan’s rage against the former President and  the South West was reflected in the dissolution of Ogun state chapter of PDP EXCO as well as dismantling South Western leadership structure.

Oyinlola who accused Jonathan of marginalizing the South West in allotting key political positions, declared that PDP did not deserve Osun governorship election’s victory as he had failed to deliver on his political promises.

The former national PDP scribe stated that the selfish and self-conceited nature of the ruling party’s flagbearer in the Saturday’s gubernatorial poll, Senator Iyiola Omisore, led to exit and

massive defection of the key state party’s stalwarts to another political party, including the APC.

He hailed the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s policy to further decentralize the state University’s (Osun State University) Faculties, saying this would promote the spirit of unity and togetherness in the state.

Former Lagos state governor and national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, in his address at the rally, berated President Jonathan, saying he lacked good governance experience and competence to drive Nigeria to an enviable level.

He urged Osun people not be scared of Security operatives, stressing that they were kited and paid with the tax payers’ money. He asked where the security men posted very close to Yobe Unity College were  when the school was invaded early in the year, an attack which

resulted into abduction and killing of over 70 students.

The former governor indicted the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, of alleged plot to kit hoodlums in security uniforms to move around and intimidate the residents, but urged the electorates to be undeterred.

Tinubu faulted Jontahn – led Administration and accused it of being confused, citing example that the government has claimed to know where about of the over 200 abducted Chibok girls, yet they were still being held hostage in the bush for over three months.

The mega rally was attended by all APC governors, National and state party leaders, legislators as well as state party members and from the neighbouring states, new decampees among of whom was former Governor Isiaka Adeleke.