Osun 2018: Akinbade Declares Self as Next Governor

By Fisayo Oyeyinka

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade has declared himself as the next governor of the state, saying that he is competent and capable to govern the state.

Akinbade stated this in a life interview on a private radio station in Osogbo, on Monday, maintaining that he is the most qualified person to take over from Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Fatai Akinbade

The former Secretary to the Osun State Government said he is ready to contest the 2018 governorship election in the state.

Akinbade contested the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state and polled over 8000 votes.

Responding to question on his ambition, Akinbade said: I am the next governor of Osun State. “Am I not qualified, am I not capable, am I not competent? I know it is God; I have a sterling record of performance. Anybody that has anything against me should go to court.

I have been serving the state since 1994. My record is clean, when I was in government, I did not receive bribe.”

Akinbade said his governorship ambition is to liberate the state from all the pains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

On why he left the PDP, Akinbade said the failure of the PDP to cater for the wants of former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola made him to leave the party.

He explained: “Omisore took over Osun PDP then, he wanted to take over everything……….I didn’t want a war…..we wanted to eradicate winner takes all, but that was not there….that was why we left..”

The former Osun State SSG also stressed the need for a vibrant opposition in the country hoping that the current travails of the party nationally will be over soon.

He said the crux of politicians in the APC is the political trainees of the PDP, noting that Nigeria’s terrain is made of the same people who find a “comfortable place for soft landing”.

Alhaji Akinbade who spoke on moves by political figures in Yorubaland to form a union said the alliance is waxing stronger with more people to be incorporated soon.

According to him “the meeting we are holding in Ibadan is not just a party affair but to allow for simple majority. We have so many people there……………It may also turn around to be a political party.

“It is an alliance of Yoruba people and politicians, Baba Akande is our B.O.T Chairman. We held our last meeting in our house, Baba Saka Balogun Chairman, Amb Yemi Farounbi is the Spokesman, we want our voice to be unified.

“We have met with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, we have been meeting with Baba Akande, we have gone to meet with Baba Obasanjo, and we will still meet him. It is all about the Yoruba nation.”