Oyo PDP elders back zoning of gov seat to Ibadan

ELDERS and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo Federal Constituency have thrown their weight behind the position arrived at by governorship aspirants from Ibadan that the governorship ticket should be zoned to Ibadan. Former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin; former Sports Minister, Professor Taoheed Adedoja; Professor Soji Adejumo, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, Elder Wole Oyelese, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi and Mr Seyi Makinde had stated the need for the party to give an Ibadan man the ticket based on “reality on ground.” The elders in Oyo zone comprising 45 PDP chieftains drawn from four local government areas, which included a former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Maroof Atilola, Chief Sunday Ogunlade, the PDP chairmen in Oyo West, Atiba, Oyo East and Afijio local government areas and the state treasurer, Busari Moriyeba, said they had reflected on the aspirants’ position and that “we agreed that in order for our party to defeat the incumbent and come out victorious at the 2015 gubernatorial elections, the party’s candidate must come from Ibadan zone.” The elders, in a communique made available to the Nigerian Tribune, said: “We unanimously agreed to support and deliver our delegate votes in block only to a candidate of Ibadan extraction in the forthcoming primaries of our great party, the PDP, later this year.” They also noted that they agreed with power rotation among the five geo-political zones in Oyo State, namely; Ibadan, Oyo, Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa and Ogbomoso with effect from 2015, adding that Oyo zone remained a major stakeholder with a crucial block of votes in deciding the next governor of the state and that it should be recognised accordingly in the formation of a PDP-led government at the state and national levels from 2015.