The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State has described persons led by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde who, last week, adopted governor Seyi Makinde and other candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the elections as expelled members of the SDP.
Oyo State Chairman of the SDP, Mr Michael Okunlade; alongside governorship candidate of the party, Mr Folorunso Lana; leader of the party in the State, Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola stated this while addressing journalists at the state office of the party in Ibadan.
Addressing journalists, the party chairman, Okunlade described those who endorsed Makinde as “some unscrupulous elements, hired to do a dirty job.”
He declared that Ayorinde and the others were struggling to cope with their expulsion and were out to pull down the SDP.
Okunlade said the party was not fictionalised and remained one in its quest to win at various levels in the forthcoming elections, saying it was unthinkable for the SDP to join what he described as a “sinking ship.”
The press conference also saw Okunlade alongside the party’s presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo; the governorship candidate, Lana and Honourable Akande-Adeola lament the last-minute cancellation of the party’s rally scheduled for Tuesday, at Mapo hill, Ibadan.
Speaking, the presidential candidate, Adebayo, bemoaned that the party had mobilized members for the rally and invested resources only to receive a phone call on Tuesday morning from the state commissioner of police asking it to shift its rally to Wednesday.
He said it was sad that the police gave the last-minute directive to postpone its rally pointing to that governor Seyi Makinde and the PDP also planned to hold their rally around Ibadan South-East local government area.
He said it was shocking that the police gave the last-minute order after it had formally informed the police of the date of its rally some weeks ago.
Buttressing Adebayo, Honourable Akande-Adeola described the development as unfortunate, and a pointer that Makinde and the PDP are afraid of the strength of the SDP.
Akande-Adeola said the party agreed to shelve Tuesday’s rally and postpone till Wednesday in the interest of peace and to avert bloodshed.
Also speaking, the governorship candidate, Lana, described the last-minute postponement as injurious to the party but vowed that the SDP will hold its rally tomorrow at Mapo hill, Ibadan.
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