Two House of Representatives candidates of Accord and One from the Social Democratic Party, SDP, have joined the camp of Sen. Teslim Folarin, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors from Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa and Oyo zones, along with their supporters, on Wednesday, announced they’re joining the APC.
They are Wakeel Oyedemi (Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo West); Bashiru Lawal (Atisbo, Saki East and Saki West) and David Okanlawon (Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they had initially left the party due to an internal crisis that greeted the party’s primaries.
Lawal’s defection, a close aide to former Gov. Rashidi Ladoja, fueled speculations that the erstwhile state governor, is no longer working for the re-election of Gov. Seyi Makinde.
Ladoja, the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland and the most influential political leader in the state, had in 2019 spearheaded a similar coalition that birthed the PDP government in the state.
He was reported to have been calling politicians across political divides to support Folarin, the APC candidate.
The development came amidst the movement of major blocs across political parties in the state to Folarin’s camp as part of the realignment ahead of the crucial polls.
Lawal who contested under the platform of SDP came first in the Saki West results announced by INEC in the House of Representatives election held recently.
He, however, narrowly lost to the APC candidate, Tajudeen Abisodun, in the constituency due to votes garnered by the latter from Atisbo Local Government area.
Lawal was received into the APC by Folarin’s running mate, Dr David Okunlola.
Also, both Oyedemi and Okanlawon, confirmed to newsmen on the phone that they were back in their former party, APC, to work for the electoral victory of Folarin on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the return of Oyedemi into the progressive fold was brokered by an influential citizen of the state, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Adebisi.
Adebisi told Oyedemi and other notable politicians that there was need for them to unite for Folarin’s victory in the governorship election.
He said that Oyedemi, Lawal and Okanlawon would in no small way, boost the chance of Folarin in winning the election.
