Lanlehin accuses Makinde of failure to honour pre-election agreements

By Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2019 general election in Oyo State, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, has accused Governor Oluseyi Makinde of reneging on the agreements reached with him before the election.

Five parties had coalesced to confront the then governing All Progressives Congress (APC). The governorship candidates of the four other parties stood down for Makinde, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with an agreement to form a government of unity.

But in a statement yesterday, Lanlehin accused Makinde of failing to fulfil any of his promises to him since he was sworn in as governor.

The statement titled: ‘Makinde yet to Fulfil Promises,’ read: “A lot of water had passed under the bridge since the governorship election of Oyo State on the 9th April, 2019 which overwhelmingly threw up Engr. Oluwaseyi Makinde as the governor of the state.

“In order to prevent the reoccurrence of the incidence of the Oyo State gubernatorial election of 2015, in which a governorship candidate won the election with a minority vote of 32 per cent, I, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, the governorship  candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), (together with some other gubernatorial candidates), decided to drop the mandate of my party in order to support the candidature of Seyi Makinde of the PDP. This was with the consent of the party elders, leaders and stakeholders.

“This in essence meant that at the end of a victorious election, a Unity Government would be formed comprising the coalition parties in the ratio agreed upon before the election.

“The governorship election has come and gone, won and lost. Won by Engr. Seyi Makinde of the PDP with the support of the coalition parties and lost by the APC.

“I, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), state unequivocally that I still fervently believe in the principle that berthed the Seyi Makinde government and give my total support to its success.

Read Also: I was urged to probe Ajimobi’s wife, says Makinde

I also do state that I remain a committed member of my party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose members worked assiduously and tirelessly in installing the Seyi Makinde government and expect participation in same as agreed before the gubernatorial election of April 2019. Candidate Seyi Makinde (as he then was) made some promises to me as the incumbent candidate of my party, ADC. I willingly and absolutely agreed to surrender my governorship mandate in the common interest of the people of Oyo State.

“I did not request for and was not given any financial compensation for surrendering the mandate, but committed further resources to the governorship election.

Up till date Governor Makinde has not fulfilled any of the terms of the agreement reached between him and myself.

“I believe Governor Makinde has not been able to fulfil the terms of the gentleman’s agreement between us (myself and himself) due to the very busy and demanding schedule of his state duties.

“I believe very firmly that the governor will fulfil the said terms as soon as he so decides.”