Son of Adelabu ‘Penkelemes’ emerges Oyo APC guber candidate

From left, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, his wife, Florence, Senator Fatai Buhari and Secretary to the State Governor, Mr. Lekan Alli, at the APC governorship primary

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

After a lot of drama and intrigues, the two leading political parties in Oyo State, All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday produced their candidates for the 2019 governorship election.

Seyi Makinde of the PDP emerged as the party’s candidate after winning the governorship primary held at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan. He scored a total votes of 2,772 to beat his closest rival, Senator Ayo Adeseun, who polled 21 votes.

Adebayo Adelabu emerged as the candidate of the APC after the dramatic withdrawal of the last six contestants in the governorship race.

Seven candidates were originally vying for the ticket but five of them withdrew from the primary election, which held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasigba, Ibadan.

Former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala withdrew his candidature on Saturday, Dr AbdulAzeez Adeduntan withdrew on Sunday, followed by Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, Sola Ayandele and Dr Owolabi Babalola.

The last to withdraw was a legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, who was left in the race with Adelabu. He finally agreed to step down from the race after a serious appeal from the leadership of the party.

While announcing his decision to step down, Akintola said he was “sad” and ”feels “cheated.”

“Today is a sad day. I was determined to contest the poll but here I am. I have always been a symbol for the struggle and also a symbol against oppression. Let me also state that nobody has so far been more committed to this party in Oyo State than me. But I have listened to the piece of advice from our leaders, most especially, from our revered leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Truly, we have both fought a good fight, but today, I feel too cheated to have been begged to step down in the on-going governorship primary poll. I hereby announce my withdrawal from the Oyo State party politics”.

Adebayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is the grandson of notable Ibadan politician, Adegoke Adelabu popularly known as “Penkelemesi”.