A former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Wednesday declared his intention to contest for the governorship seat in 2019 , saying he was bowing to intense pressure by his admirers.
The former governor made the declaration on Wednesday at his Bodija, Ibadan, residence while receiving members of the Akala Support Group who paid him a visit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the group had at a programme held at Premier Hotel in Ibadan on March 29 called on Alao-Akala to re-contest in 2019.
“Patriotic people of Oyo State, for quite some time now, I have been inundated by telephone calls and text messages from well-meaning citizens and subjected to intense pressure.
” I have been receiving these messages from Destiny Group, corporate bodies, political associates and friends alike to stage a comeback to the governorship seat in the state.
“Having communed with my creator, the Almighty God, my immediate family and due consultations with critical stakeholders, I do solemnly offer myself to contest for the governorship seat in 2019. So help me God,” he said.
Alao-Akala said he was contesting with a view to consolidating on and surpassing the achievements recorded so far by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.
He claimed that he endeavoured “ to put smiles on the faces of people within available resources’’ when he was governor between 2007 and 2011.
Alao-Akala commended the efforts of Ajimobi who had been governing the state in the last seven years.
“Ajimobi’s remarkable programmes and projects in the areas where people find tough to venture into have been impactful on the citizenry such that the people have tagged him ‘Koseleri Governor.
“My fellow compatriots, you can see vividly the similarities in our designations, ‘Oyato’ and ‘Koseleri, ‘ both of which are clear evidence of purposeful governance,’’ he said.
Earlier, Dr Fola Akinosun, the Chairman of Akala Support Group, had described Alao-Akala as the most qualified and experienced among all those who had declared interest in the governorship race.
Akinosun, who is a member of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said this was not the time to experiment in the choice of leadership.
Mr Olu Abiala, a former NLC Chairman in the state, also said the visit was to appeal to Alao-Akala to listen to the call by no fewer than 5,000 members of the group to contest.
NAN reports that among those present at the forum were human rights activists, labour leaders, traders as well as representatives of youth and women groups. (NAN)