Former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Professor Taoheed Adedoja has picked an expression of interest form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

This brought the number of aspirants that had picked the form to eight. The other seven aspirants said to have collected the form so far include former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala; former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin; and former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Lam Adesina, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan.

The list also comprises a business mogul, Mr. Seyi Makinde, an engineer; former Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Gbola Adetunji; a businessman, Mr. Femi Babalola, an engineer; and former chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor  Soji Adejumo.

Adedoja while with journalists shortly after he collected the form, described the agitation for an Ibadan native to emerge as the governorship candidate for the party in the 2015 general elections as winning strategy for PDP.

He said other aspirants from other parts of the state have constitutional rights tonvie for the position, he however warned that PDP might lose the election if the

party failed to pick its candidate from Ibadan.

A group of governorship aspirants of Ibadan origin has been clamouring that PDP must pick one of them as its candidate.  Adedoja said: “Every state in Nigeria has peculiarities. We have said that in consonance with the peculiarities of Oyo State. Going by the political calculations of other parties to do that, it is only wise for PDP as a party to also have its own strategy. So, it is a strategy for PDP to capture Oyo State.

“If you look at my pedigree, I have served people of all the zones of the state. I am a party man. I am a full Nigerian and full indigene of the state that has grassroots support in all parts of the state.”

He explained that if the party did not pick its candidate from Ibadan, he would not defect to another party, adding “But it is very doubtful if PDP will win 2015 governorship seat of the state if it is Ibadan. This is why I am presenting myself as one of the aspirants to be considered. Anybody from Ibadan and outside Ibadan is eminently qualified to vie for the position. But we are talking about strategic reasons.”

Adedoja stated that he had gone round all the geo-political zones of the state –Oyo, Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Ibadan and Ogbomoso, to let people know that he has been on grounds in the last 18 years in the state, adding that he has a better understanding of the complexities of the state.

“As an educationist, I believe that education is the roadmap for socio-economic development of Oyo State. I am an experienced educationist, teacher, politician and administrator; I believe I will transform this state beyond imagination. One thing that also stands out is that for you to be able to administer not rule, and manage the affairs of Oyo State, you also need that experience from different parts of the country and international communities.

“So, I am bringing into governance, my experience in governance and also in the private sector. In the last three years, I have added the experience of the private sector because that experience is needed to drive Oyo State, which I have acquired,”he said.