Region threatens to boycott 2019 election if not given governorship slot

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The Oke Ogun Development Consultative Forum, ODCF, in Oyo State, an umbrella body of all social groups of the Oke Ogun geographical area of the state, has issued a threat that it would boycott 2019 election if the major political parties, especially, the All Progressive Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, failed to unanimously field governorship candidates from the zone.

The forum stated this on Thursday during visits to major political parties in the state and handed letters signed by the group’s President, Dr Olusegun Ajuwon on its position to all the political parties in the state, stressing that it would only work and vote for any party that gave governorship ticket to candidates from the region in the state.

The group, which was led by its Secretary-General, Mr Zaccheus Ademola visited the secretariats of the APC, PDP, African Democratic Party, ADP, Alliance for Democracy, AD, the All Grassroots Alliance, AGA, the National Rescue Mission, NRM, All Peoples Grand Alliance, APGA, and African Democratic Congress, ADC.

According to the letter, the region was determined and have resolved that if none of the political parties in the state fielded any indigene from the region, the people of the region would have nothing to do with the 2019 election.

“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 per cent 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 of the state, notwithstanding our consistent aspiration in this regard.

“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 welcome 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 existing political platforms to which its indigene belong. We are determined and we 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”.