Seyi Makinde and Adebayo Adelabu

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

After a lot of drama and intrigues, the two leading political parties in Oyo State, All Progressive Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, today produced their candidates for the 2019 governorship election.

Seyi Makinde of the PDP emerged after winning the governorship primary held at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan scoring the total votes of 2772 to beat his closest rival, Senator Ayo Adeseun, who polled a total vote of 21.

Adebayo Adelabu emerged as the candidate of the APC after the dramatic withdrawal of the last six contestants in the governorship race.

Seven candidates were originally vying for the ticket but five of them withdrew from the primary election, which held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasigba, Ibadan. Former Governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala withdrew his candidature yesterday Saturday September 29 2018, Dr AbdulAzeez Adeduntan withdrew earlier today on Sunday September 30 2018, followed by Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, Sola Ayandele, and Dr Owolabi Babalola. The last to withdraw was a legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, who was left in the race with Adelabu, who finally agreed to step down from the race after serious appeal from the leadership of the party.

While announcing the decision to step down, Akintola said he was “sad” and feels “cheated” stressing, “Today is a sad day. I was determined to contest the poll but here I am. I have always been a symbol for the struggle and also a symbol against oppression. Let me also state that nobody has so far been more committed to this party in Oyo State than me. But I have listened to the piece of advice from our leaders most especially from our revered leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Truly, we have both fought a good fight, but today, I feel too cheated to have been begged to step down in the on-going governorship primary poll. I hereby announce my withdrawal from the Oyo State party politics”.

Adebayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is the grandson of the Ibadan notable politician, Adegoke Adelabu popularly known as “Penkelemesi”.