By Kazeem Awojoodu, Ibadan
Oyo LP guber candidate, Tawfiq Akinwale has promised to unseat Governor Seyi Makinde.
Naijanewshub.com.ng The Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state, Alhaji Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale has on Thursday vowed to take over power from Governor Seyi Makinde come 2023 general elections.
Alhaji Akinwale made known his decision to unseat the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde at the Labour Party state Secretariat located in Molete Area, Ibadan during his affirmation process attested by the leadership, delegates and other members of the party.
Akinwale also make use of the event to unveil his running mate.
Speaking with press men shortly after his affirmation, Akinwale said we are here today for the affirmatives because I’m the only person who shown interest to be the governor of Oyo state under our dear Labour Party, but initially we asked the chairman to stand in as the placeholder and that is exactly why his name was initially on the INEC list. But because of administrative bottleneck that we are trying to untie and to the glory of God we have done that and dusted it.
“Today we here for the affirmative process and to the glory of God INEC officials were here led by the administrative secretary in Oyo state. So all the stakeholders are here, the chairman of the party, the elders consultative forums, Pa Abdul Lateef Adegoke is also here, the deputy chairman of our party who also doubles as the chairman of the screening committee and I have been told that I’m good to contest as the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Oyo state come 2023 general elections.”
“This affirmation process was affirmed by the INEC, by the leaders of our party and they all attested to it, and the delegates of our party are also here to attest to the process too, so I’m the candidate of the Labour Party in Oyo state to the glory of God.” Akinwale said.
While speaking on the way forward, Akinwale said, “I can assure you on our website my name is there Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale is there as the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state and we are moving ahead.
While answering questions about the current state of the party, Akinwale said, “All is well in our party, though there was a political intrigues and it’s normal in political settings and all are now in the past and we are now under one united family and we are set to take the leadership of Oyo state come 2023.
“I want to make history, in this our pace setter state, I want to be the first in Oyo state to run the affairs of the government with a women running mate. In Oyo politics, women participate more than men and yet they have not been given tangible positions to occupy but I have made it upon myself that I will take good care of women not because of anything but because of the fact that I have six daughters and that means that I have their interest at heart and that is why I’m picking a woman from Oke-Ogun.
“I picked a Baptist as my running mate, and she is Akani Esther Adebimipe is my running mate, so I’m seen myself taking over from Makinde come 2023. People don’t know that I can go this far, but to the grace of God for this and I can tell you, this is the only hurdle and people can testify to it that Labour Party is the credible alternative in Oyo state and the country at large, so we are ready to move forward, I’m credible, I have integrity, I have no stain whatsoever and I’m ready to take over mantle of leadership of this state come 2023.
“I have been in politics more than 30 years now, I’m not only a politician but a professional technocrats and this is added advantage that other candidates don’t have that I possess and it took some governor one year to know how to treat files and to the glory of God I’m a leader in that aspect. Akinwale said.
The representative of the Independent Electorial Commission (INEC) who was in ground to monitor the affirmation process refused to speak with journalists saying they are on ground only to observe and not to made any comment, but to only write a report and send it to appropriate authority.