He said this while addressing party faithful that converged on his Ibara Government Reservation Area, Abeokuta, that no single individual within the party, no matter highly placed, could determine where the next governor of the state would come from in 2019.
Osoba stated that the APC needs to embrace internal democracy in order to strengthen its chances in the general elections.
Tribune Online recalled that the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, recently at a state function publicly endorsed the aspiration of the people of Ogun West Senatorial District to produce the next governor.
But Osoba declared that Ogun East Senatorial District is also eligible to contest for the governorship seat just as the Yewa-Awori people of Ogun West.
The former governor noted that there was nothing like zoning of elective posts in the past, insisting that any zone in the state except Ogun Central are eligible to contest for the exalted position.
“As a party, we have zoned the governorship seat. There is nothing like zoning of office in the past. We give opportunity to anyone to aspire, but we always used maturity to settle it amongst us. That is unwritten, it is a convention. It is not the rule and nobody will go against the agreement.
“Now, so many things have decided us. The Ijebu now come together to be claiming the Ijebu agenda. We must leave the field open. We must examine the Yewa and Ijebu Agenda, “he added.
He canvassed for unity within the party, submitting that it is not right for anyone to set up structure outside the party.
Osoba said further, “We are all in APC and nobody will leave the party for anybody. Go back and be united with the past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members that just joined us.
“Go to the wards because it is the foundation. There is no more SDP. We are all APC. Let us bring more people to join APC. We should be in unity.”
He, however, said that the Ekiti and Osun elections in 2018 remained a determinant towards what would be the outcome of the elections in Ogun and Oyo States.
“Don’t let us under estimate Fayose. You must fight him. We cannot afford to play with Osun either. Those two states are important. If we can do clear primaries in these two States and APC wins, then whatever happen in Ekiti and Osun must happen in Oyo and Ogun when it get to our turn to deliver,” the former governor said.
and then