ADC, ZLP, SDP adopt Makinde as consensus candidate

The aspiration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, got a big boost on Monday, as three opposition parties adopt him as coalition parties’ consensus candidate for Saturday’s election in the state.

After days on intense horse trading, Makinde whose PDP posted the best result among the opposition parties was adopted by African Democratic Congress (ADC), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) led by a former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

With the endorsement, the ambition of Senator Olufemi Lanlehin of ADC, Sharafadeen Alli of ZLP and Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, have been rested.

A communique signed at the end of a meeting of the coalition parties signed by the Directors Generals of the three parties at the end of a meeting on Monday said confirmed the adoption of Makinde.

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“Agreement has been reached by members of the coalition parties to adopt Engineer Seyi Makinde as its gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. Details to be made available later, “the terse communique said.

The document was signed by the Director General of Lanlehin Campaign Council, Alhaji Bashir Lawal; DG for ZLP committee, Waheed Akanbi; DG Makinde Campaign committee, Bayo Lawal; and Chief M.A Oke of SDP.

The coalition had given the condition that the party that posted the best result in the first leg of the elections would be adopted.

While PDP won one out of the three senatorial seats and three our of 14Reps seats, only Action Democratic Party (ADP) of former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala won a single Reps seat.

But Alao-Akala pulled out of the coalition and joined the All Progressives Congress after a meeting with APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu.

The decision makes the governorship contest a tough battle between Makinde of the PDP and APC’s Bayo Adelabu.