A socio-political group rooting for the emergence of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, Itesiwaju-Oyo Coalition, has attacked Governor Abiola Ajimobi over a statement credited to him that those contesting against the All Progressives Congress, APC, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu, from Ibadan are people who don’t have traceable family history and those who corruptly enriched themselves.
But the group in a statement by its spokesperson, Bolarinwa Aliu, said the governor is suffering from what it called mouth diarrhea. According to the group, Lanlehin is someone whose family history is well known, even beyond Ibadan, his hometown.
“Though we wouldn’t have loved to join Issue with outgoing Governor Abiola Ajimobi because in the recent tirade is not unknown to those of us in the political circle. However, we will like to educate Ajimobi on how not derail politically.
“The governor’s vituperation, to us, is a failed attempt to sell the candidacy of Adelabu to the unsuspecting members of the public. The Adelabu that we know cannot be packaged in a positive ways to the public. Rather than tell the whole world what the ruling party has done to better the lot of the people of the state in close to 8 years, the governor was running his mouth, an act which is unbecoming of someone leaving office after two terms in office.
“While Lanlehin’s father, late Chief Samuel Owoola Lanlehin, was a distinguished Nigerian and a close ally of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during his lifetime, Adelabu’s grandfather, the late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, on whose ‘records’ Adelabu hinges his campaign, was everything retrogressive.
“Apart from Africa in Ebullition, we doubt if the young Adelabu and his principal, Ajimobi, have read books written by people about the late Penkelemesi. Despite his brilliance in school, the late Penkelemesi, for selfish political reasons, was against late Awolowo’s free education policy, especially in Ibadan. He mobilized Ibadan people against Awolowo.
“We wonder how a shameless Ajimobi will go further to say that those who are contesting with Adelabu corruptly enriched themselves. We wouldn’t want to say the governor doesn’t think before he talks because of the exalted position he holds. The Adelabu he promotes is someone who made all his wealth through public service. This is someone who despite the civil service rules, flaunts wealth without caution. In a saner democracy, we know what would have happened,” the statement added.
The group also advised Ajimobi to start perfecting his papers as “numerous petitions which bother on alleged financial recklessless await him at the anti-graft coming commissions.”
