After about two years and three months, he announced his withdrawal from partisan politics, the legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, has said that he would contest the 2023 governorship election in Oyo State.
Chief Akintola, who disclosed this at the Monthly Breakfast Chat of the South West Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP), in Ibadan on Tuesday, said that he felt betrayed and cheated by the decision of the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to have a consensus candidate, which produced Chief Bayo Adelabu as the party’s candidate.
Reporters At Large recalls that Chief Akintola was the last of the many APC aspirants to step down for Chief Adelabu at primaries that took place at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
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Recall that it was during the primaries, Akintola announced his withdrawal from partisan politics.
Hos words: “In the heat of the moment, I felt betrayed. I knew what was going to be the implication. I saw myself in the same position late Chief Bola Ige found himself in 1998.”
He explained that “Bola Ige had always been with the progressives. He had done a lot. I looked at myself that with all I have done. Most of her are beneficiaries of my goodwill.
“Imagine giving a ticket to someone who joined our party in April and got the ticket in August. And you expect me to be clapping. How would you have felt if you were in my shoes.”
Recounting his contributions to the progressive family, the legal icon said he had done a lot for the Progressives family by installing sacked governors. He, however, wondered “why somebody would join the party in April and received the ticket of the party to contest in August.”
Akintola, who noted that the progressive family has degenerated to the level the truth cannot be spoken to the power again, urged the family never to ignore the concept of ‘Omoluabi’ which, according to him, was the hallmark of the founding fathers of the party.
He said: “I decided to quit partisan politics because I felt betrayed. I felt cheated. I found myself in the same tight coner, late chief Bola Ige found himself in the second republic. I look at myself and said with all I have done for progressives, is this the way to pay me back?”
Governor Seyi Makinde, Akintola admitted that the governor had so far demonstrated some flashes of good governance, especially with his attention given to Ibadan satellite town of Ajoda, and Agbowo Shopping Complex, which, he recalled, was constructed by the military regime of Brigadier David Jemibewon between 1976 and 1978.
Akintola stated that he would continue to commend Governor Makinde as long as he meets his expectations and those of the public.
He declared: “I am not a disco critique who will not see anything good in his opponent. When he does anything good, I will commend him and when he does anything contrary to expectations, I will stand up to condemn him. At my level, I should stand firm on my conviction regardless of political affiliation. Everything should not be reduced to politics. That is how we can grow from here.”
