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Analysts and political wachers in Oyo State can no longer ignore the Peoples Democratic Party’s determination to woo Senator Rashidi Ladoja and his Accord Party back to the umbrella party.
On Friday, leaders of the PDP in the state, led by a former military governor of Lagos State, Maj. Gen. Raji Rasaki (rtd), visited him to kick off the merger talks.
Now, Newspeakonline has learnt that Alli Modu Sherif, National Chairman of the PDP will on Sunday visit Ladoja and members of his party in Ibadan to continue the talks and possibly strike a deal.
Apart from a possible merger, the PDP and the Ladoja-led Accord Party in Oyo State are reportedly setting up machinery to work together ahead of the 2019 elections.
According to a reliable source, Sherif’s visit is aimed at building on the successes already recorded in previous discussions with Ladoja. Although inside sources say Ladoja may not be readily disposed to letting the PDP absorb his party, there are strong indications that he and Sherif may reach concrete agreements.
Ladoja, a former governor of the state, left the PDP in 2010 and contested for governorship in 2011 and 2015, losing to APC’s Senator Abiola Ajimobi on both occasions.