Oyinlola, Turaki-led PDP structure back APC’s AMBO for Osun guber poll

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure, led by former Osun State Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, has declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Oyinlola made the public declaration at WOCDIF Event Centre in Osogbo on Sunday.

Oyinlola at the event, attended by party leaders and members, stressed that they remain in the PDP, saying their decision to support Oyebamiji was based on their conscience and what they considered the interest of Osun State.

He said, “We are not defecting from the PDP but had resolved to support a candidate we believe could provide inclusive leadership and a different direction for the state.

“Party loyalty is important, but the interest of Osun State must always come first,” Oyinlola said.

According to him, the group had supported the emergence of the present PDP administration but became dissatisfied with what he described as a lack of inclusiveness in governance.

He said, “We were among the major stakeholders who worked tirelessly towards the emergence of the present administration under the platform of the PDP.

“We believed in that project. We supported it. We mobilised our people for it. We invested our time, energy and political capital in it because we believed that it represented the aspirations of our people.

“Unfortunately, along the line, things began to fall apart. One of the major issues that have created this unfortunate situation, in our considered view, is the lack of inclusiveness in the governance of our state.”

Oyinlola said the group’s decision to back Oyebamiji was “born out of necessity, conviction and our sincere desire for the progress of Osun State.”

He urged the APC candidate to run an inclusive government if elected, listen to the people and ensure that all parts of the state were represented.

“You must put the people first and run an inclusive government. You must listen to the people. You must ensure that every part of Osun feels represented in your government,” he said.

Oyinlola added, “We remain proud members of the Peoples Democratic Party. But today, in the interest of Osun State, we stand with AMBO.”

Also speaking, the Director-General of the APC Governorship Campaign Council, Hon. Wole Oke, apologised to the PDP leaders for supporting Governor Ademola Adeleke’s 2022 election bid against their position.

Oke, a former PDP member, described the gathering as a coming together of “progressive-minded people” to decide what he called the interest of Osun State.

He said Oyebamiji had been adequately prepared for the governorship, having served the state for 12 years as Chairman of the Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL) and Commissioner for Finance.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖