The national body of the Labour Party (LP) has justified the choice of the former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Christopher Alao-Akala, as its governorship candidate in the state.

The National Secretary of the party, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, in a statement explaining why the party opted for the former governor as its candidate yesterday, said there was nothing strange in Akala getting the gubernatorial ticket of the party in the state.

According to him, while he was governor of the state, the immediate past governor of the state worked in line with the principles of the party.

“The issues must be put in correct perspective. It is not enough to limit ourselves to mere tooth picking analysis or fixated social media opinion. For instance, during his tenure as governor of Oyo State, he (Akala) carried along the workers in the various unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), teachers, market women, civil societies and so on.

“While other governors in states controlled by supposedly progressive and pro-people party placed embargo on employment and were not ready to implement minimum wage, Akala employed more workers and did not denigrate the position of the working class,” he said.

Ajulo said further that “Akala did not just get the LP ticket in Oyo State on a platter of gold or for the asking. It was not also a matter giving the ticket to the highest bidder,” but that instead, “Akala worked his way rigorously and painstakingly up the ladder.

“He was endorsed by all those who matter in the party after a thorough check on his renewed commitment to the cause of the common man. He indeed had the support of other aspirants who acknowledged his worth and surrendered everything to him.”

Describing Akala as a “politician of sound pedigree,” Ajulo said it was not surprising that politicians are leaving other parties to Labour Party, which he says is a party with potentials.

“As we have always maintained in the past, our party is the natural constituency of many grassroots politicians and they have merely strayed to those other larger, winning parties, which can use all sorts of gimmicks to entice them. It is therefore only natural for them to want to come back home when reality dawns on them,” he noted.

CAPTION: Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman
PDP Will Align With People’s Interest, Says Minister
Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The leader of the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) in Kwara State and Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, has reiterated the commitment of the leaders and supporters of the party to align with the people’s interest and respect their wishes to ensure the electoral victory of the party during the next general elections.

Sulaiman, who spoke in a statement in Ilorin against the backdrop of the grievances from major stakeholders within the party over the process leading to the emergence of Senator Simeon Ajibola as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2015 election, urged the party’s teeming supporters in the state to be calm and resist taking  the law into their hands.

The minister’s statement, signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Alhaji AbdulRaham AbdulRauf, and made available to journalists, said: “It is true that our party had its congress a few days ago at the end of which Senator Simon Ajibola emerged. Our party is one that respects democracy and its tenets and that is why I am appealing to our supporters and admirers in the state who are aggrieved with the initial process to remain calm.”

According to the statement, “There is always a way out and I want to therefore appeal to our people not to take law into their hands.

The minister said: “They should remain resolute, resilient and allow the party to find an amicable means of resolving the issue at hand. They should keep faith with the PDP family as all matters will be resolved in the best interest of the people.”

He, however, declared: “It is common knowledge that Kwarans are urgently yearning for change in the governance of the state, and by the grace of God, this change shall come to pass. We are not unaware of the challenges ahead, and with God on our side the task is not insurmountable.