Indigenes of Oke Ogun geo-political zone in Oyo State on Thursday
threatened to boycott the 2019 governorship election in the State if
the existing political parties failed to field indigenes of the zone
as their gubernatorial candidates.
Making the declaration through their umbrella body, Oke Ogun
Development Consultative Forum (ODCF), they lamented that for several
years past, the Oke Ogun people of Oyo State have been shortchanged by
successive administrations which are always led by indigenes of other
zones, despite the huge socio-political contributions of Oke Ogun
people.
Representatives of ODCF comprising the Secretary of the socio-cultural
organization, Hon. Adepoju Zacchaeus Ademola and the Publicity
Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi respectively, visited Oyo State
Secretariats of the various political organizations on Thursday, where
they formally presented the position paper of the Oke Ogun indigenes
on the issue.
The political parties visited by the ODCF delegation included the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Democratic Party (ADP),
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African
Democratic Congress (ADC), Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All
Grassroots Alliance (AGA), among others.
Spokespersons of the ODCF lamented that Oke Ogun zone with 10 local
governments out of the present 33 local government areas in Oyo State
have over the years been clamouring for gubernatorial slot in the
state to no avail.
In their position paper titled ‘Oke Ogun Candidate or No election’,
signed by the President, Oke Ogun Development Consultative Forum, Dr.
Olusegun Ajuwon, the Oke Ogun indigenes insisted that they are
determined, “and have resolved as well, that if none of the political
parties fields any of our sons or daughters, we shall not have anything
to do with 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo State.”
The ODCF position paper read in part: “As we approach the election
year of 2019, we the people of Oke Ogun believe that it is necessary
to, once again, re-state our position concerning forthcoming
elections, most especially the 2019 Governorship position.
“To begin with, it may be apposite to go down the memory lane by
recalling the past political contributions of Oke Ogun people on the
installation of past and present Governors of Oyo state. It is beyond
dispute that all the elected governors of Oyo state rode into the
exalted position of governor, through the almost 100% votes usually
delivered by the Oke Ogun people. It is on record that the sitting
Government was virtually installed by the totality of the undiluted
votes of Oke Ogun people.
“Today our people felt unrecognized, unprotected and marginalized even
in spite of our unalloyed loyalty to the political progress of Oyo
state for several years. It is sad to note that no political party has
ever thought it fit and or justifiable to field an Oke Ogun indigene
for the position of the governor, notwithstanding our consistent
aspiration in this regard. The consistency of Oke Ogun people in their
efforts to promote honesty in politics and ensure untainted political
loyalty is seen as political weakness and timidity by almost all the
political parties operating in Oyo state. This tendency must stop.
“Oke Ogun has therefore resolved to say ‘Enough is enough’. Our
resolve in Oke Ogun is that come 2019; an Oke Ogun indigene must
become the Governor of Oyo state. Any political party that fails to
field an Oke Ogun indigene shall not be welcomed anywhere in Oke Ogun.
This is an important message we are passing to the executive councils
of the political parties that will be fielding candidates for the 2019
gubernatorial election in Oyo State. Oke Ogun has paid her dues in all
the existing political platforms to which its indigenes belong.
“We are determined, and have resolved as well, that if none of the
political parties fields any of our sons or daughters, we shall not
have anything to do with 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo State. We
hope that the political class in the State will not dare the will of
Oke Ogun people this time around!
“It is on this note, we appeal to your party to look into the profiles
of Oke Ogun indigenes in your midst with a view to picking a reliable
aspirant of Oke Ogun extraction as your gubernatorial candidate, if
the votes of our people are to be guaranteed.”
ENDS
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.