“They ought to come to me and say excuse sir, you are owing so so amount and I would have told them that we have been paying only that we need to streamline the payments. We have been paying to the local government in charge and in fairness to the said council, they are in charge.”
Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala on Monday said the fear of the unknown and perceived ideological differences stopped him from rejoining his former party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and another opposition party, African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Pacesetter News recalls its recent publication on how Alao-Akala met with his erstwhile boss, Senator Rashidi Ladoja to discuss possible ways of working together ahead of the 2019. The recent 60minutes parley between the two leaders was held behind closed door in the Ladoja house, five days to the governorship primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which Alao-Akala boycotted.
Speaking at a Yoruba interview programme on Lagelu FM 96.7 monitored by this reporter, Alao-Akala pointedly declared that, “once beaten is twice shy”.
According to him, moving to either PDP or ADC after he boycotted the APC governorship primary that produced a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Bayo Adelabu may end up exposing him to another round of unpalatable experience likening to be ‘from frying pan to fire.’
Said he, “I have seen what APC did to us and we must be highly cautious this time. Abinitio, we didn’t join APC because of positions and I told my supporters too that they shouldn’t expect much there. I, however hinted that if we were offered positions, we would accept them.
“I have been governor before and there is nothing new in my aspiration again if not for the need to heed the clarion call of the masses. I have left the APC and I am now in Action Democratic Party.”
Asked why he didn’t join forces with the PDP flagbearer, Engr. Seyi Makinde, he replied thus: “I am his senior in PDP and we left same time. He has gone back to PDP. He is a gifted personality with the rare gift of bringing people together. But maybe because of the people around him, he didn’t listen to advice. I can’t join forces with PDP this time around although no permanent enemy or friends in politics.”
On the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Alao-Akala said, “LAUTECH issue normally brings sadness to me because I saw it’s current problems coming when I was in office and that was why I moved to severe the relationship with Osun. We have shared our assets before I left but I became worried when the government of the day reviewed it and this is where it has led us.”
On the shutting down of his business complex ‘Ile Itesiwaju in Dugbe business district’ of Ibadan, Alao-Akala said he called the attention of the Oyo SSG to it and he denied the government’s knowledge about it. And for me, among animals, they have leaders. Among humans, it is the same. I have been a leader here in the state and nobody can wish that away. And as Yorubas, we should know how we treat ourselves with respect.
“They ought to come to me and say excuse sir, you are owing so so amount and I would have told them that we have been paying only that we need to streamline the payments. We have been paying to the local government in charge and in fairness to the said council, they are in charge.”
Asked to reintroduce himself, Alao-Akala said “My names are Chief Dr. Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala (a.k.a ATM).
The inquisitive moderators further sought his clarification on his alias ‘ATM’ and he jokingly said people believe once they get to him for assistance, he readily offers to help and nicknamed him as ATM machine. And he did confirm on air that he loves being called ATM or Oyato Governor.
