Oriyomi Hamzat, candidate of the Accord in the 2027 governorship election in Oyo, has asked Seyi Makinde, governor of the state, not to intimidate candidates of other parties for Bimbo Adekanmbi, his preferred successor.
Oriyomi spoke on Thursday while addressing some supporters
in Ibadan, where he challenged Makinde to allow the people of the state to
freely choose his successor.
In May, Makinde announced Adekanmbi, candidate of the Allied
Peoples Movement (APM), as his preferred successor.
The governor said Adekanmbi possesses the capacity to
continue the “good works” his administration has started in the state.
Oriyomi said Makinde should stop “lording” his interest in
Adekanmbi’s ambition over other candidates.
“Don’t intimidate any other candidate for your preferred
successor to win the election,” he said.
“Once your interest in his ambition is too much, it means
there is a hidden agenda.
“Why will you ask me to follow your preferred candidate? I
don’t trust him. I don’t believe he can do it. I believe I can do better than
him. So, there is nothing bad in me coming out. Let him also come out.”
‘WHAT IS FEDERAL MIGHT’
The Accord candidate warned Makinde’s supporters to stop
using his achievements as a political tool for Adekanmbi.
“It is not proper. Let Adekanmbi come out and tell us his
antecedents and what he has done,” he said.
“Let each of the candidates also point to the impacts they
have had in the lives of the masses.
“Enough of this talk of federal might and incumbency being
behind one person. What is federal might? It’s like we are depriving the masses
the right to choose the person of their heart.”
While commenting on Makinde’s achievements, Oriyomi claimed
some of the projects completed by the Makinde administration were initiated by
Abiola Ajimobi, his predecessor.
“We all agreed that Ajimobi tried his best. He didn’t leave
Oyo State the same level he met it. Most of the project achievements of this
current administration were started by Ajimobi,” Oriyomi said.
“He initiated the processes for some of them, like the
airport and the controversial circular road. In fact, most of the road projects
completed by this administration were initiated by Ajimobi. So, it is our
state.”
The Accord candidate also defended the right of Bayo
Adelabu, former minister of power, to recontest for the APC governorship ticket
after losing out to Makinde in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections.
Adelabu and about 11 other aspirants had contested the APC
2027 governorship election.
He, however, bowed out of the race on Thursday after the
party declared Sharafadeen Alli, senator representing Oyo south, as its
consensus candidate.
Oriyomi said since Oyo residents rejected Adelabu in 2019,
when he was Ajimobi’s preferred successor, and freely chose Makinde, the
governor should not stop the people from making another choice in 2027.
“Adelabu belongs to this state. He also has the right to
contest for the governorship seat. But we, Oyo State, said no. We gave Ajimobi
the space to spend eight years in power and after which we said, he should go,
so that the state residents can elect another person by themselves. That was
why we didn’t vote Adelabu into power,” Oriyomi said.
“This time around, we have also told the current
administration of Makinde that, thank you, but he should also give the people
the opportunity and space that was given to him, to elect whoever they want in
power after him.”
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