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As permutations and realignment among political parties in Oyo State gathers momentum ahead of the March 9 governorship election, one of the candidates in the election, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), may hold the ace on who occupies the Agodi government house on May 29.
Alao-Akala may want to see himself as the beautiful bride in Oyo State, just like Iyiola Omisore turned out to be in Osun State during the November 2018 governorship election in the state. Like Omisore who, politically, controls Ile Ife in Osun State, Alao-Akala is also believed to be in control in Ogbomoso, which implies that anybody he supports in the election will win the votes in Ogbomoso axis of the state.
Omisore supported the All Progressives Congress Candidate(APC) candidate in the re-run election in Osun thereby handing the victory to Gboyega Oyetola.
Alao-Akala may want to do same and align with the party that controls the power at the center because it may likely be more beneficial to him than supporting another candidate that will be in the opposition to the federal government.
Besides, he may see himself as a family member of the APC having just decamped from there late last year.
Recently, during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) yoruba service, Alao-Akala, gave yet another reason why an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not see the light of the day. In the interview, Alao-Akala appeared disgusted when confronted with the speculation that he was planning to work for the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde.
“I am working for no one!” He bellowed. “At my age, it will be foolhardy if I don’t know what I’m doing.
“Who is he (Seyi Makinde)? What is his pedigree in politics? He has never occupied councillorship position, chairmanship position, senatorial seat nor House of Representatives. Now, he wants to do what we call ‘hop, step and jump’. They cannot even associate me with (Olufemi) Lanlehin – who has elven been a Senator. Insinuating that I am supporting Seyi is an insult on me.
“I am not working for Seyi Makinde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or any candidate from any party. I told them already. Those spreading the rumour only want to use our name. If they want to be associated with us, they should join our party, the ADP.
“In Oyo State politics, who is Seyi? In fact, if we are to make a ranking, Seyi cannot even make the top 20. Politics is not all about money,” Alao-Akala stated.
Source also suggest that part of the deal that the APC and its candidate, Adebayo Adelabu, may put on the table is the possibility of returning the former governor’s son, Olamiju Alao-Akala, to his seat as Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.
Currently, Akala’s party the ADP, is fully in talks with other parties like the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and even the PDP, with the hope of formimg a strong alliance against the APC on March 9. The talks have produced no result yet but political watchers in the pacesetter state are keeping their fingers crossed.