Some aspirants jostling for elective positions in the 2023 elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State yesterday, vowed to resist attempt by Governor Seyi Makinde to foist consensus candidates on them.
The aggrieved aspirants rather called for primaries instead of consensus.
The aspirants at a press conference held in Odo-Ona area of Oluyole Local Council expressed disappointment over the development.
The House of Assembly aspirants is Dikko Salami, Moruf Adepoju, Femi Bamigbola, Olawale Olatunbosun, Taofeek Ogunrinde, Kola Oladikun, Kolawole Tosin, Kemi Obanibaseri, Francis Adewale Adetunji and Alhaji Taofik, while the House of Representatives aspirants are Olawale Mogbonjubola ‘Jagaban’, Bolu Adebayo, Tokunbo Ogunbola, John Ogunsola and Bolu Olapade.
Bamigbola, who spoke on behalf of the House of Assembly aspirants and also eyeing the Oluyole State Constituency seat, said there is no state consensus candidate for Oluyole at the state level.
He said: “The leaders called us for a meeting over the weekend and asked us to introduce ourselves, which we did, including myself and other state and federal representative aspirants. Shortly after the introduction, they asked us to go home and that they will call us later but unfortunately when I woke up this morning, I heard that they have picked one candidate for us.”
Bamigbola said a consensus arrangement was not discussed at the meeting.
Adebayo, who is aspiring to run for Oluyole Federal Constituency, decried the process that produced the consensus candidate.
He said: “We believe so much in the leadership of the party and because of that, there was a meeting, which the governor held with the leadership of the party across all the wards in Oluyole Local Council. We were called upon at the weekend to see the possibility of how we can arrive at a consensus candidate, which I think is very good for our democracy. But the problem is that all the aspirants did not agree on a consensus candidate.”
Meanwhile, a source in the party described the aspirants as strangers in Oyo PDP, who are not even known in their wards.
The source said it would amount to dignifying the aspirants, if one responds to them, saying: “How can someone based in overseas just move in and start making unnecessary noise? They are better ignored.”
