A former governor of Oyo State and national
leader of Accord Party (AP), Senator Rashidi
Ladoja, has said the party will have no choice
but to field his former deputy, Chief Adebayo
Alao-Akala, to fly the party’s flag for Oyo
North Senatorial election if it is the
unanimous decision of Accord leaders in
Ogbomoso zone.
Ladoja made this known while speaking with
newsmen shortly after he was cleared as
Accord’s governorship candidate by the
screening committee from Abuja, at the state
secretariat of the party in Ibadan on Friday.
The former governor also disclosed that the
party had agreed that his running mate should
come from Oke-Ogun zone, while Ogbomoso,
which is a key component of the Oyo North
Senatorial District, is to produce the
senatorial candidate.
He described Accord as “a winning party”
whose doors would not be shut against any
politician in the state, adding that with the
state-wide popularity of the party, 2015
elections would be won convincingly by the
party.
On the speculation that the party risks being
polarised over the choice of candidates,
Ladoja said Accord would prove doomsday
prophets wrong, as it had already produced
four House of Representatives candidates
through consensus option.
“Accord decided whom it wanted as its
governorship candidate and I was chosen by
the leaders. That was why it was easier for
the screening committee to take a decision to
clear me. There will be primaries in the party
for all positions including the governorship.
“This is what the law requires. Even in a
situation where there is a sole candidate,
majority of the party members must all
endorse that candidate. Those who are
waiting for a time crisis will erupt in Accord
are waiting for Godot because our party has
grown beyond what such people think.
“Our party will give the people of Oyo State
the kind of representatives they want at the
state and national levels. Accord is the
government-in-waiting. It is not our doing
but Almighty’s grace that we have enjoyed as
a party,” Ladoja said....