8th April, 2022
By Akeem Abas
Dr Abiola Ajaja, national secretary of Accord Party said the party will only accept its founding father, former Gov. Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State back to the party, if he followed due process.
Ajaja told newsmen on Thursday in Ibadan, that Ladoja has been making moves and romancing with people underground that he wants to come back to the party.
Ajaja represented Ibadan South-East/North-East in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015, on the platform of Accord Party, while Ladoja was the party leader in the state.
Ajaja said the party’s doors were wide open for anyone who intends to join, adding that the person must follow the due process.
“If anyone wants to join the party, our door is widely opened. We are ready to take Sen. Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja back, but he must follow the due process,” she said.
The national secretary said the party was waxing stronger, adding that it has Presidential, Governorship and National Assembly aspirants ahead of 2023 elections.
Ajaja said she recently conducted the party’s primary election, which produced Dr Akin Ogunbiyi as the its candidate in Osun.
“We have been engaging and wooing people to the party. We have Presidential aspirants, gubernatorial aspirants and aspirants for other elective posts.
“In fact, I was in Osun last week for the primary election of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi. I don’t want to mention names now because so many people are still coming to join us.
“I was told that Ogunbiyi is a popular candidate and I believe he is going to win,” she said.
The former lawmaker said that the two major political parties, APC and PDP, had failed Nigerians, saying that Accord Party has all it takes to fill the vacuum and turn things around for the better.
Ajaja said the so-called big parties were more than comfortable, adding that such made them selfish and careless about the masses.
She decried lack of internal democracy in other parties, urging them to learn from Accord Party, which conducted its primary without crisis.
“We have so many technocrats, professionals and people who have made it on their own before joining politics in our party.
“They are well-read and are grassroots politicians that understand the plights of the people,” she said.
Ajaja recounted her fall out with Ladoja when he denied her returning ticket as recommended by the National Secretariat of the party.
According to her, the recommendation came from the National Secretariat because of my performance in office as I did so well.
“I was denied the ticket because of reasons best known to him. He gave the ticket to the person I defeated in 2011, Gbenga Adewusi.
“I was forced to take him to court because I know what the party Constitution says. Before anybody can grab the ticket for any post, he or she must be a member for at least one year,” she said.
Ajaja, who claimed to be in possession of all the documents on her recommendation, said she took Ladoja to court because she felt it was a slap on her face.
“Our former leader, Ladoja dumped Accord Party in 2015 for PDP and later crossed to ADC before going to ZLP.
“When he was leaving Accord Party, he stated emphatically that the people would not hear about the name of the party again in Oyo State, but to the glory of God, he has been proved wrong,” she said.
Ajaja said she became the party’s National Secretary based on her immense contributions to the party, adding that she wants the party to be more popular in Nigeria, especially in Oyo State.
The former lawmaker described Accord Party as a party to beat, saying that she wanted to become a strong third force.
Ajaja also spoke about her immense contributions to her constituency and touched the lives of my people