THis weekend’s contest in Oyo State would set a record in the country. Unlike many other states of the country where the All Progressives Congress, APC is in battle with only the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the scenario in Oyo State is a five horse race involving three other parties in the governorship and state legislative elections.

It is also marked by another uniqueness: It is the only race where three former senators are in active combat and only state where two former governors are in contention to return to office.

The PDP’s governorship candidate challenging the APC’s incumbent office holder, Senator Abiola Ajimobi is the former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin. Another former senator, Rasheed Ladoja is also bidding on the platform of Accord, while yet another former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala is fighting on the platform of Labour Party. The business mogul, Seye Makinde who is contesting on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP could well be said to be the only one of the five that is not a former this or that.

All the candidates for the governorship and House of Assembly are making last minute efforts to convince the voters ahead of the polls. The APC which easily swam to victory in the presidential and National Assembly polls penultimate Saturday, is bound to face stiffer challenge this weekend.

Ladoja
Besides winning the majority of the votes in the presidential election, the APC also won all three Senate seats and clinched 12 of the 14 federal constituencies, leaving one apiece for the PDP and Labour.
This weekend, voters would be more sparing for the opposition parties in the state especially Labour and SDP.

Accord’s miserly performance this time has been attributed to the alleged imposition of candidates by the party leadership and the backlash from voters over the open endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the presidential election.

Speculations that swept the state at the last minute that party leader, Rasheed Ladoja had signed an agreement with Jonathan, revolted many members who not only turned back from voting for the party, but also worked against the interest of the party.

The poor showing of the party two weeks ago has now led the party and its state level candidates to embark on house-to-house, community-to-community campaign armed with prototype of ballot papers to educate their supporters where to thumb-print during the election.

Ladoja is the toast of most workers in the state especially the teachers who remember the promptness with which their salaries were paid while he was governor between 2003 and 2006. The PDP in the state is still dazed with its failure two weeks ago and there are fears that if nothing dramatic happens this weekend it could go into oblivion.

From the look of things, the party will need a divine intervention to prevent it from falling headlong into the precipice. Its influence is waning every minute that passes.

Labour Party could spring a surprise with Alao-Akala as its flag bearer even if he is regularly taunted with allegations that he will go back to his former party if he wins the state and the suspicion became stronger when he openly campaigned for President Jonathan. But, Akala still has much influence in the state especially his Ogbomoso axis and other parts of the state.

Remarkable impact
The SDP’s Engr. Seyi Makinde made some remarkable impact in the National Assembly election even though it could not win any of the seats. The party is expected to produce some legislators in the state legislature. Many people believe it is a party of the future.

The APC led by Governor Abiola Ajimobi is itself still basking in the euphoria of its victory in the presidential and National Assembly election. People did not rate the party high until the results were released. Many people keep saying the party benefited largely from the illiteracy of most voters who just kept thumb printing APC not knowing all the ballot papers were not meant for General Buhari alone.

Besides, Governor Ajimobi, had to listen to voice of reason when criticisms greeted some of his administration’s policies.

He applied caution and coupled with the employment of 5,300 teachers and his urban renewal programmes, the party is still holding the aces in the state. The peace that has reigned in the state in the last four years is working like a magic for the party. Though, its administration is tainted with so many allegations of inflation of contract money, unpaid pensions and gratuities of primary school teachers, many people still see it as a ‘better evil’ among others. The bandwagon effect of the defections that followed the victory of the party at the presidential election across the country is likely to work in the favour of the governor and the other candidates.

His eloquence and prompt responses to allegations have also been a good tool for him. It seems there is no other candidate who can rub shoulder with him when it comes to talking.

Above all, Gen. Buhari is being expected in the state anytime from now to canvass votes for him like he did in Lagos and this would go a long way.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/many-rivers-to-cross-in-oyo/

After these stories.....







......and Akala has it.

Interesting...
The title will go down to wire then