Former CBN deputy governor, Adelabu, emerges APC governorship candidate in Oyo

A former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Adebayo Adelabu, is set to clinch the ticket of the All Progressives Congress to contest the next year’s governorship election in Oyo State, following the withdrawal of all other aspirants. e candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr Adelabu, 47, was the only aspirant that eventually contested the APC governorship primary that held this evening Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. A former Governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, withdrew yesterday with a call on his supporters to boycott the primary poll.

Mr Alao-Akala accused the incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi of a ploy to foist Joseph Tegbe – First Ife Engineering graduate who, however, would later become an accountant – on the party.

With Mr Alao-Akala out, four aspirants, including Mr Adelabu. Others were going to contest today’s primary. Others were Azeez Adeduntan, Mr Tegbe, Olusola Ayandele, and Adeniyi Akintola, a senior lawyer.

However, Mr Tegbe, widely thought be Mr Ajimobi’s prefered choice, before the commencement of primary exercise, withdrew, as earlier did Mr Adeduntan.

Later, Mr Ayandele also stepped down, leaving the Messrs Adelabu and Mr Akintola to go into the race. But just moments into the exercise, Mr Akintola too withdrew leaving Mr Adelabu to claim victory.

However, the chairman of the exercise, Ademola Seriki, a former minister, said voting would not end even though Mr Adelabu remained the only aspirant racing.

Except for the case of Mr Alao-Akala, it is believed that Mr Ajimobi was the architect of the entire drama withdrawals hours to the commencement of the primary by aspirants who had toured the state canvassing votes.

As Mr Ajimobi arrived at the venue, with his wife, Florence, and Mr Seriki, he summoned the aspirants, and then announcements of withdrawal started one after the other.

Mr Adelabu is a grandson of Adegoke Adelabu, popularly known as Penkelemesi, who was a leading pre-Independence Nigerian politician based in Ibadan.

Within 24 hours, 4 aspirants have stepped aside from the Oyo Guber race under the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Alao Akala was the first to leave the race claiming there is a preferred candidate by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Earlier this morning another aspirant, Azeez Adeduntan also resigned before the commencement of the Guber primary via a Facebook post.

The APC primary which officially started at 4 pm after the arrival of the governor and his wife, the chairman for the gubernatorial primary election in the party, Demola Seriki, four times minister for the state under different ministries called all the aspirants together and spoke to them.

Shortly after the talk, Joseph Tegbe the anointed candidate named by Alalo Akala was the first to resign and declare his support for Adebayo Adelabu and Olusola Ayandele follow suit in the same direction as Tegbe.

However, Niyi Akintola remained stuck to his gun and the voting as began between Adebayo Adelabu and Niyi Akintola.

The delegates were not surprised however at the decision of Mr Tegbe and Mr Ayandele. It was an expected result of an overnight meeting held at the state house last night.

It was gathered that Governor Ajimobi had earlier called on all the aspirants before purchasing the form to have a consensus candidate but wasn’t fruitful as eight out of initial 30 Guber hopefuls still went ahead to get the form despite the meeting.