#Akala Show of Shame exposed# 2015: Crisis Hits Oyo PDP As Akala, Agboola Engage In Open Brawl The crisis of confidence among leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State at the weekend reared its ugly head during the party’s zonal congress, as a former Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, surged towards the Deputy-Senate Whip, Hosea Ayoola Agboola, and tore the ballot paper in his hand. The visibly enraged Agboola who was caught unawares by the action of the erstwhile governor nearly retaliated, save for the timely intervention of other stalwarts at the venue of the South-west zonal congress of the party held at the Apex Multipurpose Hall, Agodi Ibadan. It should be recalled that both Akala and Agboola had been having a running battle since the 2011 general election. Though Agboola, who was formerly a Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, under Akala, won the senatorial race, thus emerging PDP’s only elected senator in the whole of South-west zone, his camp still held tenaciously to some alleged clandestine moves by Akala to thwart his ambition at the last minute in the 2011 poll. Ever since, both men, though members of the PDP, parted ways politically. But the tension again resurfaced recently when Agboola openly declared support for a former senate leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin, as the count down to 2015 governorship election draws near. Akala is also an aspirant and recently made a public declaration to give Agodi government house another shot under the platform of the PDP. However, during Saturday’s zonal election, Agboola had mounted the podium to cast his vote and was already holding the ballot paper when Akala emerged from behinde him and angrily squeezed the paper in his hand apparently protesting the alleged move by the Senator and some other politicians to play a fast game on him, especially concerning the office of the youth leadership position in the party. However, in a swift reaction, Agboola told newsmen that there was nothing like playing a fast game against his former boss, stressing that “I was casting my votes for the aspirants of my choice when he emerged from behind and tore the ballot paper in my hand. It beats my imagination that a person of the former governor’s status could resort to self help in a matter as this. His action caught me unawares because I never expected it. And the truth is that we have reasoned that since he, like some of us, was instrumental to the formation of the state executive under Yinka Taiwo’s leadership, there is the need for us to allow the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, whose people are not included in the state executive, to present a candidate for the office of the party’s zonal youth leader, to give them a sense of belonging too.” “The party is bigger than everyone of us and as for me, we should eschew bitterness and unhealthy rivalry if we genuinely have the interest of our party at heart. It is high time we all joined President Goodluck Jonathan in his transformation agenda beyond 2015. And that is what we have been doing with Senator Folarin and Hon. Muraina Ajibola, among others in the last few weeks.” Fayose who mediated the rift alongside the PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, appealed to warring factions to sheath their swords in the interest of the party, just as the position was eventually allotted to Akala, to pave way for peace to reign in the party.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 09:54:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015