Ajimobi and Akala

*Appellate court confirms Election victory

Governor  Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and his predecessor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has called on aggrieved contenders in the last general elections in the state to stop litigation and work to move the state forward.

The duo gave the advice on Thursday when Alao-Akala visited Ajimobi at his Oluyole residence in Ibadan after the appellate court upheld the governor’s victory in the last poll.

They advised a former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja, and the Accord Party governorship candidate in the last governorship election to stop further litigation in the suit.

Alao-Akala, the Labour Party governorship candidate in the same poll, was one of the early callers at Ajimobi’s home to congratulate him on the verdict of the appellate court in Ibadan.

He said that the victory was well deserved and was an affirmation of the popular mandate given to the governor by the people of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the former governor also confirmed media reports of his planned defection to the ruling APC.

“I am here to rejoice with my brother for the judgment of today in the court. We already knew what the outcome would be. We had expected what we got today. So we are rejoicing.

“The governor has the interest of the people of Oyo State at heart. He should, therefore, be allowed to take care of their welfare and to let them have life more abundant. We are all one.

“When somebody is in the front, you must follow him. God has put him there. Let us all help him so that he can also help the teeming population of Oyo State.

“I will advise the opposition or whoever is still aggrieved to please bury the hatchet and work together with the governor to move the state forward,’’ he said.

Speaking on his reported defection to APC, he said that the process of his movement into the party was still on.

AJimobi, while addressing party faithful who had thronged his residence shortly after the judgment, dedicated his latest judicial victory to God and the people of the state.

He commended the visit of Alao-Akala to his home and urged other leading opposition members to take a cue from the gesture.

“We give glory to God. If God says Yes, nobody can say No. We owe this victory to the Almighty God and to the teeming population of Oyo State who wanted continuity and which reflected in their vote for me.

“I am appealing to my brother, (Rashidi) Ladoja, and others to join us and work together with us instead of going from Appeal Court to Supreme Court.

“As you can see, we have formed an alliance with Alao-Akala. He is a formidable force in the politics of Oyo State and Nigeria.
“An elephant in Ibadan, when he goes to London will remain an elephant.

“ So an elephant in Peoples Democratic Party or Labour Party that comes to APC is still an elephant. So his coming is good. We are one,’’ the governor said.(NAN)