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Days after announcing his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the senator representing the Oyo South senatorial district, Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi on Thursday, visited the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, and the representatives of Mogajis’, to pay homage and solicit support for his party ahead of Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Earlier in the week, he successful brokered an alliance deal between the APC and the Accord Party in the state, for the governorship election. He had since been conducting meetings aimed at bringimg back former APC members to the party.
At the Thursday meeting held at the Olubadan’s palace, the Mogajis described the lawmaker as a man who cares about his people and is always at the forefront in ensuring sustainable development for Ibadan and Oyo State as a whole.
Akanbi told those present at the palace that he was in their domain, “in continuation of his consultations to ensure that disgruntled or disenfranchised individuals, which includes artisans and trade associations within the state would be reconciled with the party, in order to ensure victory at the polls on Saturday and rebuild the party in the state”.
He said the consultations were important in order to ensure that Oyo State is not disconnected from the centre as far as government was concerned. He stressed this while also extolling the virtues of President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
At the meeting, the Mogajis remarked that the need to align and ensure success for the ruling party at the governorship polls is supported by Senator Akanbi’s humane and down to earth dealings with issues without discrimination. They stated that he had proven to be a true son of the soil and an ‘Okanlomo’ of Ibadan land owing to his various contributions towards the development of Ibadan even before becoming a senator.
The family heads also streesed their committment to the success of the APC at the polls on Saturday.
Speaking, the Olubadan commended the senator for living up to the chieftaincy title bestowed on him as the ‘Okanlomo’ of Ibadan land.
Briefing newsmen after the event, Akanbi told journalists after the meeting that his efforts were targetted at success for APC at the polls so that the state is not left behind in the scheme of sustainable development.