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The South-West Caucus of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) has approved the decision of the party’s chapter in Oyo State to adopt governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, for the 2019 election.
The party caucus said the adoption was in line with the participation of the AD in the CUPP arrangement at the national level.
The leaders also disowned and withdrew support for the AD candidate in Oyo State, Hakeem Alao “for unilaterally picking a running mate unknown to the AD and absconding from the party after picking its governorship ticket.”
These decisions were contained in a communiqué released at the end of the South-West AD Caucus meeting held at the Majerita Hotel, Ibadan, on Wednesday. The commnique was signed by the AD National Secretary, Pastor Akin Fasogbon; the Oyo State chairman of the party, Pastor Akinade Alamu; the Ondo State AD chairman of the AD, Eder Seriki Adebobola; the Ekiti State AD chairman, Mr Charles Famuseye and the Lagos State AD chairman, Mr Kola Ajayi.
The party urged the public to discountenance the recent suspension of the South-West leader of the party, Honourable Babatunde Oduyoye, the Oyo State AD chairman and Mr Babatunde Tijani, saying that those behind the purported suspension were unknown to the party and that the action should be disregarded.
The party also moved against some of its members in Oyo, Lagos and Ondo, saying: “The AD hereby expels Adeola Adepoju (Oyo), Gbenga Adesina (Lagos) and Eniola Ojajuni (Ondo) for anti-party activities.”
In the communique, the party’s leadership called on the new Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, to be fair to all political parties before, during and after the general election.
It alao declared its full support for the position of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, to back any presidential candidate that is ready to restructure Nigeria, noting that without restructuring, the ship of the country would continue to head in the wrong direction.