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The camp of former governor Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala has been thrown into disarray over his plans to defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Following the recently rescheduled PDP Ward Congresses, which many observers claim to have been won by the camp of former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, Akala had concluded plans to dump the PDP and contest the 2015 governorship elections under the banner of the Labour Party or recently formed Socialist Democratic Party (SDP).
At a stakeholders meeting held at his Ogbomosho home earlier in the week, Akala was said to have been stunned by the refusal of many of his followers, including serving members of the State/National Assembly, to dump the PDP. A principal officer of the National Assembly, who was present at the meeting, was said to have told Akala that he was “on his own”, prior to storming out of the gathering. She was immediately followed by several notable chieftains, whom Akala had assumed will join him on his new sojourn. A former Commissioner during Akalas tenure who spoke on condition of anonymity, described Akala as a selfish leader, seeking to dump the platform that made him, all because he can’t have his way. He stated that the PDP raised Akala’s political profile beyond his Ogbomosho land by making him the deputy governor in 2003 and then governor in 2007. At 65years of age and having spent 8 years in Government House courtesy of the PDP, they expected him to step aside and play the role of a kingmaker.
In a related development, the Labour party in Oyo State has also debunked the news that Akala is set to emerge as its governorship candidate for the 2015 election. An insider within the Labour Party told our correspondent that the Labour party is open to all Nigerians but would only field people of integrity and electoral value in the 2015 elections. He questioned how Akala could win the governorship race for the Labour Party when he failed to do so as the PDP flag bearer in 2011, despite being the incumbent governor. He further went to describe Akala’s recent behaviours, including the snatching of ballot papers at the PDP Zonal congress and acts of thuggery during the PDP Ward congresses, as actions that would discourage the electorates from voting for any party which presents Akala at the polls. He concluded by saying, Oyo State just cannot afford another 4years of Akala where violence and thuggery reigned supreme.
Otunba Akala has used every given opportunity to tell the whole world that he can never work with his former boss, Ladoja, in the Accord Party. So what would become of the former governor as 2015 approaches remains unclear. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, an ardent supporter of the incumbent governor has equally refused to work with Akala in the APC. He is yet to forgive Akala for ousting him as the permanent chairman of the Council of Obas and for allegedly making attempts to kill him.
