Eniola Olayemi
Against public expectation that the opposition parties in Oyo State are set to sign a draft agreement already given to each party and their stakeholders, the coalition on Saturday afternoon failed to reach a compromise and has scheduled another meeting at the Bodija home of the former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.
Journalists, party faithful and other stakeholders who had stormed Ladoja’s residence as early as 10 am were disappointed as a source privy to the discussions ongoing behind closed doors said the parties have yet to agree on a decision.
The meeting was attended by the four governorship candidates, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (ADC), Seyi Makinde (PDP), Sharafadeen Alli (ZLP) and Bolaji Ayorinde (SDP) in the presence of Ex-Governor Ladoja.
A source who pleaded anonymity said based on the inability of the meeting to reach a conclusion, the sitting has again adjourned till 5 pm later today (Saturday) to reconvene with the hope of finalising talks.
However, observers are of the views that, many of the opposition parties are being wooed by agents of the ruling party in the state, APC, a situation, some people said had made the coalition somehow rocky than expected.
Going by the looks on the faces of the governorship flagbearers as they leave Ladoja residence separately, it could be sensed that reaching a consensus on the coalition could take longer time.
When probed by reporters when leaving the building, Senator Ladoja disagreed that the sharing formula for the portfolios is causing the delay but that the agreement would soon be signed by all the concerned parties.
Accompanied by the SDP governorship candidate, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, who is handling the details of the agreement, Ladoja insisted that he is not a candidate nor have interest in any, but a father of all.
He said, “We have adjourned again till 5 pm because as at yesterday, the various parties went back to discuss with their various stakeholders and revert today, so that is what they are on and they are yet to finalise.
“They have a draft agreement which SAN (Bolaji Ayorinde) talked about yesterday (Friday), and that is what they are still talking about but I am not a part of the agreement.”
When asked of his assessment of the level of progress in the coalition, Ladoja said “I am not a key stakeholder. I am just a father to all of them.”
