The leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State have endorsed the council’s chairman, Engineer Sharafadeen Omirinde, as a consensus candidate for the next year’s local government election in the state.
The leader of PDP in the Local Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Alaka, made the disclosure on Tuesday after leaders and strategic stakeholders of the party held a crucial meeting in Saki.
According to him, the leaders of the party have not endorsed any other chairmanship aspirant as being reported in a section of online media, apart from Omirinde, who has emerged as the consensus chairmanship candidate of PDP in Saki West.
The Chairman of the PDP Elders’ Forum in the local government, Alhaji Alaka, described as propaganda, the media report that the vice chairman of the council, Gbenga Akinola, was endorsed on Tuesday, saying the report was untrue.
“We must put the record straight that the vice chairman, Hon Gbenga Akinola, was not endorsed as our consensus candidate. The speculation that 10 among 11 councillors in the council have been endorsed is not true because the issue has not yet been concluded,” he said.
The Chairman of the Elders Forum added that the PDP Chairman in the council, Alhaji Wasiu Ayesoro, and other party executives, as well as all 11 wards executives of the party have endorsed Ominrinde as consensus candidate for the local government poll.
The list of PDP stalwarts that have endorsed Omirinde also included Alhaji Abdul Raheem Oyedemi Muslim, former Commissioner for Works in the state, as well as Alhaji Mudasiru Awujoola,
Hon Jimoh Ayanbisi and
Hon Rasheed Salaudeen.
The stakeholders that have endorsed Omirinde also included Alhaji Nasiru Salami NASCOTECH. Alhaji Soliu Adelabu, GSM coordinator of the council: Alhaji Yekeen Owoade, Alhaji Isau Awokesoro, Adurogbangba Adetayo, Emmanuel Olagbenro and all youths in the council, under the leadership of Wale Aremo.
On the issue of corruption levelled against Omirinde, Alaka stated that the Oyo State House of Assembly has cleared him of any corruption allegation
Alaka, however, appreciated the state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, for redefining governance in Oyo State, especially in the local government. He also commended the Governor for the nomination of Hon Niyi Adebisi as commissioner.
“The councillors will be selected from their wards by stakeholders from each ward; that’s the right thing. Also, we want to add that the commissioner nominee is from Chief Micheal Koleosho side. As a result, the chairman should come from our own side. The governor has been doing justice to the issue of the local government right from inception.
“Our party is known to be a law abiding one, which believes in principle of democracy in choosing her leaders. Any exercise outside the scope of democracy, in entirety, can be linked to dictatorship. So, misleading information, portraying our party in bad light should not be encouraged.”
The selection of the councillors, according to Alaka, would be done in the best interest of the members of the party in the local government and the efforts is in pipeline to field the best candidates that would deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“Our position remains firm on fielding Engr. Sarafadeen Omirinde as the chairmanship candidate and we have endorsed Hon. Niyi Adebisi for second term as the commissioner to represent the local government and the councilorship position will be settled very soon,” Alaka stated.
