Ex-govs Adesina, Ladoja reconcile over AC - Plot to upstage PDP in Oyo

By Olusola Sanni - 15.01.2008

There are indications that former governors of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, and his predecessor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, have resolved their differences, as they have now agreed to work together to strengthen the Action Congress (AC).

There had been speculations that former governor Rashidi Ladoja had crossed to the Action Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an allegation that Ladoja had consistently denied. Nigerian Tribune gathered that Ladoja was currently involved in the series of reconciliation meetings in the AC.

Apart from the fact that he had been meeting secretly with some AC leaders in Oyo State including former governor Lam Adesina and Professor Taoheed Adedoja, some of Ladoja’s close associates are also reported to be involved in the reconciliation efforts by opposition political parties to upstage the PDP in the state.

Specifically, Alhaji Sharafadeen Alli, the former Chief of Staff under the Ladoja administration, is said to be part of a 10-man reconciliation committee which included members of some opposition parties in the state.

The 10-man committee, tagged Oyo Progressive Group, is being coordinated by Dr. Gbola Adetunji, a former commissioner for health under the Lam Adesina’s administration.

Other members of the committee are Gbenga Olayemi, Jide Okegbola, former secretary of the PDP during Ladoja’s administration; Waheed Adeleke, who served as commissioner for finance under Ladoja; Sharafadeen Alli, Fatai Ibikunle, personal assistant to Adesina; Dr. Ismaila Adewusi, a senatorial candidate of the Action Congress in Oyo State; Honourable Babatunde Oduyoye, a former Alliance for Democracy (AD) member of the House of Representatives and Prince A.O. Adeoye, an associate of Ladoja.

The committee’s assignment, Nigerian Tribune gathered, is to facilitate the meeting of all opposition political parties in the state. Sources further told the Nigerian Tribune that the committee was composed of major opposition political parties in the state with the exception of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).