The Zenith Labour Party in Oyo State has alleged that its members are now being threatened to join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP before they can be given political appointments by Governor Seyi Makinde.
The Secretary of the party in Oyo State, Honourable Bimbo Adepoju raised the alarm today while fielding questions from Aanuoluwapo Omorinde on BOTTOM LINE, a Political programme on IBR 92.5fm Ibadan.
Justifying his claim, he refered to the intrigues that that characterized the decampment of the Chairman, Oyo State Water Corporations from the ZLP to the PDP before he was appointed by Governor Seyi Makinde as a case Study.
He also disclosed that the agreement the party had with Gov. Seyi Makinde in the coalition arrangement that brought him to power was that two members of the ZLP will be appointed Commissioners while two other members of the party will serve as Special Advisers in his Cabinet should he win the election.
This agreement the party said Governor Makinde has reneged on.
According to him “what happened was that, there is a document which contains the terms of the agreement between the parties that formed the coalition but it was not signed.
“Before the coalition, there were series of meetings between PDP, ZLP, SDP and ADC. The coalition was headed by High Chief Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja. You made mention of Chief Bolaji Ayorinde a Senior Advocate, he was a member, Femi Lanlehin a Lawyer, was a member, Sharafadeen Alli is also a Lawyer, he was a member.
“When the agreement was drafted, Governor Seyi Makinde agreed to implement all the resolutions. I wish you invite Chief Bolaji Ayorinde because he was called to Draft the terms of the agreement”.
“However, a question arose that if we draft this agreement, can we take it to the Court? The Lawyer said no because it’s a social document and that was the reason why it was not signed. Chief Ladoja then said Seyi, I know you are a gentleman, ensure you honour this agreement and Seyi Makinde accepted to do just that. There was an agreement. Ask Barrister Ayorinde but it was not signed because the Lawyer said it cannot be used in Court because it is just a social contract.
Even the Director-General of the Campaign Councils of the Political parties that formed the Coalition signed an agreement where ZLP was asked to nominate two. The Directors General that is, Bayo Lawal, now the Commissioner for Local Government for PDP, Waheed Akanbi, DG for ZLP then Arc Bashiru Lawal, DG for ADC and the SDP man, Oke. It was an agreement of which Engineer Seyi Makinde was also there and they agreed on the sharing”.
“ZLP was to have two Commissioners, two Special Advisers and that we are to have 15% of the positions across board”. The ADC was to have three Commissioners and two Special Advisers.
When reminded of the fact that Senator Rashidi Ladoja nominated the Commissioner for Lands, Barr Abiodun Abdulraheem into the Cabinet of Gov Seyi Makinde, he responded saying – “someone has to be very careful when you are dealing with people. When Governor Seyi Makinde visited Baba Ladoja, he said he is giving him a Commissioner personally as the Leader of the coalition and that he should nominate somebody and Ladoja nominated his personal Lawyer, Abiodun Abdulraheem. He is not a member of the ZLP and he has said it severally, that he is not a potician.
He warned the PDP in the State to stop grandstanding.
“If the coalition was not formed with the PDP, Seyi Makinde would not have been Governor today. The PDP was in disarray before Seyi Makinde won the election. Ayoade Adeseun was no more there, Alao Akala was no more there, Teslim Folarin was no more there. They were the strong people of the PDP then but, where were they? PDP could not have won the election without the coalition. I can say it emphatically”.
Adepoju alleged that members of other Political parties that formed the Coalition are now been forced to join the PDP before they are given appointment.
“What we are being told is that if you want to benefit in Seyi Makinde’s government, you must join the PDP. When asked to back up his claim with fact he said “the Chairman of Water Corporation, Bayo Adepoju held a meeting with some people from Osun and the Governor and he was told that if he wants a position, he should join the PDP first so that they will not say you are a member of the ZLP and after leaving ZLP, he was given an appointment but we are not bothered”.
He said the ZLP will continue to engage the Makinde led governnent in the interest of the people.
