Oyo Governorship: 24 ex-council bosses return to APC

Twenty-four former local government chairmen who left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) last year for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have returned to the ruling party.

The 24 served during the first term of Governor Abiola Ajimobi between 2011 and 2015 but dumped the APC saying the governor abandoned them after working for his re-election.

The former council bosses at the time of their departure from the APC said the governor abandoned them at the time they were to seek re-election to their respective local government council seats.

They later moved to both ADC and PDP.

Among the council bosses was Yekeen Popoola (Irepo) who was the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state between 2011 and 2015.

He said that they decided to work for APC because of the performance of the ruling party at the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Others at the meeting the group held in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday were Olabiyi Niyi (Saki East), Trimisiyu Olayiwola (Kajola), Olarinre Adisa (Itesiwaju), Stowel Balogun (Oorelope) and Ismail Oyetunde (Ona Ara).

Also at the meeting attended by the governorship candidate of the APC, Adebayo Adelabu, and other APC stalwarts, were Obisesan Kamoru (Egbeda), Abiodun Olayiwola (Lagelu), Soji Ojoawo (Oyo (West) Olorode Oluade (Afijio), Mukthar Adekunle (Oyo East) and Aworinde Lasisi (Surulere).

The rest were Jacob Ogunmola (Atisbo), Fashola David (Ogbomoso South), Ope Salami (Akinyele), Omolewu Segun (Ibarapa North), Adelore Atànda (Ibarapa Central) and John Olaoye Ojedokun (Iwajowa).

The former chairmen said they returned to APC to work for the success of Mr Adelabu at the governorship poll on Saturday.

Mr Ogunmola who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said they decided to jettison their parties and bury the hatchet in order to ensure victory for Adelabu on Saturday.