[size=14pt]Oyo PDP faction regrets backing Alao-Akala[/size]

Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan


Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party's Implementation Committee in Oyo State, Alhaji Yinus Akintunde, has apologised to the people of the state for backing the candidacy of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in the 2007 elections.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/oct/18/punch/images/pix20100714343759[1].jpg[/img]
Alao-Akala in montage with some of his many foes



He said the party was currently working hard to put in place a new PDP government that would respect traditional rulers, pay workers' salaries and reposition the state.

Akintunde spoke while addressing party members that converged on Ojude Aremo area of Oyo on Friday for a rally organised by the committee. He assured the people of the state that the government that would be put in place after the 2011 elections would affect the people of the state positively through developmental projects, welfarist programmes and job creation.

Also speaking at the rally, Alao-Akala's predecessor, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, said the influence of the PDP in the country would continue to dwindle unless former President Olusegun Obasanjo is removed as the chairman of the party's Board of Trustees.

He said internal crisis would continue to affect the cohesion of the party as long as Obasanjo remains the head of the BOT.

Also, Senate Leader, Mr. Teslim Folarin, restated his position on the need for the party leaders to work out genuine reconciliation at all levels.

According to him, "We have problems across the country. Not only in Oyo State. I understand people's anxiety. I stand before you today that everybody must be carried along; everybody is important, there must be genuine reconciliation so that the party can move forward in Oyo State and other states of the federation.

"For instance, Alao-Akala is the governor of Oyo State today. Alao-Akala is the leader of the party in the state today. All I am saying is that there is no PDP Exco in Oyo State but I don't care what anybody says about my position of over a year ago on Oyo PDP crisis.

"I still maintain my position that there is no exco in Oyo PDP; people thought I was talking rubbish then but we have all seen what is happening now, I have been vindicated."

Among other speakers at the rally were Senator Lekan Balogun; Elder Wole Oyelese; the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Ayo Adeseun; and the Majority Leader of the state house of assembly, Mr. Ademola Adejumobi.

However, Alao-Akala has described Akintunde's comments as a "farcical political statement meant to hoodwink and impress his directionless group."

The governor's Special Adviser on Public Communications, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, conveyed the governor's position in a statement on Sunday. He added that the statement credited to Akintunde was the height of self-delusion.

"For homeless politicians without any political base to expect any iota of support from a people who have tasted good governance calls for pity and sympathy," Oyelade added.

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