A governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) has revealed why he is confident of securing the ticket of the party.
According to the legal luminary, who is the Baamofin of Ibadanland, “My personality cuts across the party line. Though party is a factor and it is going to remain a factor in the forthcoming general elections in 2019. However, it will depend on personality picked to contest.”
He revealed how ”Chief Bola Ige, in his wisdom, picked me, Prof Tunde Adeniran, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, Dr. Tola Atimo, and Uncle Yemi Farounbi, as part and parcel of his team.
“We wrote the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). When that did not work, we left PDP for All Peoples Party (APP). When we got there in Abuja, we saw some characters there, and Uncle Bola Ige said ‘well, we can’t stay here!’
“We pulled out and we came back to the drawing board. The registration then was closing. We had to quickly put something together to form the Alliance for Democracy (AD). That is why if you look at the AD Constitution and PDP Constitution, they are one and the same. The only difference there is just in the nomenclature. Who put all those constitutions together? It was the AD that metamorphosed into Action Congress (AC), then to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and to APC.”
He said that personality is going to play huge role in who succeeds incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
“Buhari became the president, not only on the platform of APC, but because the people in PDP supported his candidature. Personality is going to play a major role in 2019.
“Over the years, I have worked for this state, I have worked for the party, worked for individuals and Nigeria as a whole and people know this. So, many of them are owing me and this is a pay back time.
“Beyond that, when you look at the make up of this state, you will agree with me that we are one from Ibadan to Oke Ogun and from Oyo to Ogbomoso. If I get the ticket, I am on my way to government house.
“I am in the race and I know God will decide because He is the ultimate power giver. With the support of the people, if they find me suitable to lead them, so be it. I am not desperate. It’s not a do- or- die thing. I am not a professional politician but a professional in politics. Some are so desperate, but I have not closed my eyes to my profession.”
Speaking on why he is confident of winning the general election if he is given the APC ticket, Akintola, who is a former deputy speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, further explained that “in the first place, I am not going to lose. I am going to get the ticket by the special grace of God. But I am a progressive and the question of looking for alternative platform does not arise,” he said.
