Alao-Akala said those peddling it about in the state that the alignment had collapsed, following irreconcilable differences over who should run as governor in 2015, were making a big mistake.
The duo, in June last year, inaugurated a committee of 14 to explore the possibility of a political pact in the 2015 general election in the state.
The former governor admitted that though nothing concrete was yet to come out of the pact, he and Ladoja were “watching the political scene very closely so that we will know how to go about the alliance.”
“Those who say we can’t work together are making a mistake. There is nowhere politicians can’t work together. Once we agree, we will work together,” he said.
Against the background that a senatorial ticket had been reserved for him in Ladoja’s Accord Party, he said it would be inconceivable for him as a prominent player in not just Oyo but also zonal and national politics to join Accord.
On the urban renewal programme of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state, Alao-Akala said time was not ripe for him to give his assessment, though he said he was armed with a lot of information on the government.
“I am loaded with a lot of information and I will explode when the time comes. I am not interested in the cost of the projects of the Ajimobi’s government. I am only interested in issues. Nothing spectacular about road dualisation; Ladoja and I also did a lot of dualisation of roads.
On the crisis in the factionalised state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he expressed confidence in the ability of the Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu to reform and reposition the party for victory at the polls in the coming elections.
Speaking on claims that Teslim Folarin is in control of the executive structure of the state PDP and by extension the leadership of the party, Alao-Akala said “Don’t ascribe a big head to a person who has a small body. Such a person will collapse if you do. Anyone who has not learnt how to follow can’t be a good leader.”
“A leader emerges organically and finds himself leading the people with ease. There is a world of difference between organic leadership and mercantile leadership. An organic leader is a reference point in many circles. Everybody knows that without me, there is no PDP in Oyo State.
“When the time comes, we will all come together, we will reconcile those who are reconcilable, and those who feel they are bigger than the PDP would be allowed to go.
On the position he will run for in 2015, he said: “In any capacity, I can serve the people. There has never been any insistence on my part to be whatever I want to be. It is where the people want me to serve that I will serve. For instance, you saw my posters all over the state as pasted by some people I yet do not know. They want me to serve the state again.
“Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso came back as governor of Kano State eight years after he served a term of four years. So, anything can happen to anybody. If I have the constitutional right and of course I am eminently qualified to be what I want to be, why can’t I contest or why can’t people say they want me to contest as governor?
“2015 is next year. Why don’t we concern ourselves with what is happening today?,” Alao-Akala said.
Asked if he was aware of the clamour for an Ibadan person as Oyo governor in 2015, he replied “Anybody can be governor of Oyo State. President Goodluck Jonathan is not a Hausa man neither is he a Yoruba man. He is good man who is doing a good job as president and he is from a group people will call the minority.
“Oyo governor can come from anywhere. We need a good man to do the job, irrespective of where he comes from. People should not re-introduce ethnicity, which we are trying to eradicate, into Oyo politics,” he added.
Source: Tribune
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