LESS than two years to the governorship election in Osun State, political activities are gradually gathering momentum. Parties’ stakeholders have commenced nocturnal meetings on how to snatch the baton from Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressive Congress, APC. Gov Rauf Aregbesola and Akinbade Indeed, the Labour Party, LP, last week gathered its leaders across the 30 local government areas in Osogbo to elect new officers, who will conduct its governorship primaries. The exercise was supervised by officials of the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Speaking at the state congress, LP National Chairman, Alhaji Abdukadri Salam, said the party is determined to win the 2018 governorship election. According to Salam, with the support of Osun people, who are ready for a positive change and want to end the eight years of APC rule in the state, the LP will win and offer purposeful leadership to turn the state around for the better. He commended the 2014 governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, for staying with the party despite the challenges LP faced in the past. Salam lamented the prevalence of hunger in the country, saying there was hunger boldly written on the faces of millions of Nigerians. He promised that his party will end the crises plaguing the country, if elected. His words: “To underscore the seriousness of our party in taking over the state in 2018, I urge members to begin sensitising people of the state from house to house so as to ensure the victory of the party and also for the emergence of Alhaji Fatai Akinbade as the governor. “Nigeria is shaking. There is poverty in the land and this is bodly written on the faces of our people. This has to be brought to an end quickly to ensure stability of the country.” Salam appealed to Nigerians to endure the pains they are going through now till the end of the next election, saying the LP was confident of the people’s support because the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the APC had disappointed the people. On his part, Alhaji Akinbade said Osun people are ready to change the government of APC because majority of them are not happy with the way things are. He stated that the people of Osun State had vowed not to be swayed by deceitful politicians again. Akinbade, who is a former chairman of the PDP in the state before he joining the LP, said the presence of the party’s national chairman at the state congress of the party demonstrated the importance the national leadership attached to its affairs in the state and the 2018 poll. He said: “Nobody is happy with the situation of things in Osun today. The people of the state are eagerly waiting to take over and by the grace of God and the support of the people it is our turn to take over the governorship seat.’’ At the election, witnessed by the National Vice -Chairman (South), Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, Mr Timothy Olatunji was elected as the chairman, and Alhaja Kudrat Nofiu as deputy chairman. Other elected officers are Mr John Oyewole, deputy chairman; Mrs Romoke Edu Oyawoye, deputy chairman; Susan Ojo, deputy chairman; Mr Gbede Solomon, Secretary; Alhaji Kola Adebayo assistant secretary; Mrs Abimbola Adebisi, assistant secretary; Alhaji Afis Oyesiji, treasurer; Ayodeji Ogunyileka, financial secretary; Adedigba Abbis, PRO; Debo Adeyemo, legal adviser; Alhaji Muritala Lawal, auditor; Alhaja Bola Olayiwola, women leader; Alhaja Musili Owolabi, deputy woman leader (Central); Bukola Latifat, deputy women, leader Ife/ijesha; Adejumo Adepoju, youth leader; Kehinde Oyebiyi, assistant youth leader, Ife /Ijesha; and Ashiru Mutiu, assistant youth leader (Central).
0 Comments