2018 governorship elections ‘ll determine fate of APC in Southwest – Osoba

Aremo Olusegun Osoba, All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain and two-term governor of Ogun state has warned leaders of APC in Southwest not to make mistakes in choosing governorship candidates that will fly the party flags in the 2018 governorship polls in both Ekiti and Osun states, saying the success or otherwise that will be recorded in the two elections will determine the fate and sustenance of the party in the region.

One of the political founders of APC in the country, who addressed APC faithful at his residence located at Government Reservation Area of Ibara in Abeokuta on Wednesday, noted that leaders of Southwest APC should not underestimate the political influence of Governor Ayodele Fayose in Ekiti State and other re-grouping leaders of People’s Democracy Party (PDP) in both Ekiti and Osun states as he said, PDP might spring surprises and stage a comeback to power.

He said, “Don’t let us under estimate Fayose. You must fight him. We cannot afford to play with Osun either. Those two states are important. If we can do clear primaries in these two States and APC wins, then whatever happen in Ekiti and Osun must happen in Oyo and Ogun when it get to our turn to deliver.”

Also speaking on the position of APC and rumoured zoning of the APC governorship in 2019 to the Ogun West, Osoba clarified that All Progressives Congress (APC), had never zoned the governorship slot for the 2019 governorship election to any zone or district, asking APC to embrace internal democracy in order to strengthen its chances in the 2019 General elections and beyond.

Apart from rumour on governorship zoning formula that was reportedly adopted, BusinessDay recalled that Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state recently endorsed, at a public function, the aspiration of the people of Ogun West Senatorial District to produce the next governor, which attracted clarification from the former Governor as he declared that Ogun East Senatorial District is also eligible to contest for the seat come 2019 just as the Yewa-Awori people of Ogun West.

“As a party, we have not zoned the governorship seat. There is nothing like zoning of office in the past. We give opportunity to anyone to aspire, but we always used maturity to settle it among us. That is unwritten, it is a convention. It is not the rule and nobody will go against the agreement.

” Now, so many things have decided us. The Ijebu now come together to be claiming the Ijebu agenda. We must leave the field open. We must examine the Yewa and Ijebu Agenda,”he declared.
While asking doubting and aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members and leaders in Ogun state to remain in the party, Osoba canvassed for the unity within the party, just as he submitted that “it is not right for anyone to set up structure outside the party.”

He said, “We are all in APC and nobody will leave the party for anybody. Go back and be united with the past People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members that just joined us. Go to the wards because it is the foundation. There is no more SDP. We are all APC. Let us bring more people to join APC. We should be in unity.”

 

RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta