Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, a political game plan is unfolding in Oyo State as the opposition parties appear determined to end the All Progressives Congress-led government in the state. A meeting was held recently to work on the modalities and strategies of a proposed realignment of forces against the ruling APC.
The meeting was held in Ibadan penultimate Sunday and was attended by the heads of campaign organisations of the leading opposition parties. It was gathered that the parties involved in the proposed coalition include the African Democratic Congress, African Democratic Party, Peoples Democratic Party and Zenith Labour Party.
Recall that the governorship candidate of ZLP, Mr Sharafadeen Alli, had said, during his campaign at Okeho, Kajola Local Government area of the state, that the coalition of the leading political parties had met for the first time to work on modalities and strategies through which the proposed realignment would be successful.
Speaking on the coalition of the opposition, Alli said that the director generals of the campaign organisations of the respective opposition parties were working round the clock to ensure they worked together to pick the most sellable and preferred gubernatorial candidate for the next election in order to end APC’s rule in the state.
He said the intended realignment among the leading opposition parties that the former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, had earlier pronounced, would come to pass as the opposition governorship standard-bearers were considering the interest of the people of Oyo State at the expense of theirs.
Meanwhile, while speaking on the intimidation of opposition parties, the state publicity secretary of ZLP, Mr. Olajide Olanipekun, alleged that the billboards, posters and banners of the opposition parties were being destroyed by agents of destruction identified as thugs and hoodlums of the APC-led administration.
He said the issue was raised and tabled before the state commissioner of police, Mr Abiodun Aleto, when he was summoned for signing of peace pact among the political parties at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, recently with the promise that he would ensure an end to such nefarious activities in
the state.
Olanipekun, however, added that the DGs of the different campaign organisations would still deliberate on the destruction of billboards and intimidation by the ruling party, saying their ultimate resolutions would be strictly complied with.
