Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Accord Governorship candidate in Oyo State, says he will lead a coalition against the incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, during the 2023 elections.
Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), also the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, gave the indication at a media parley on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Adelabu, at the programme, unveiled his seven point agenda “SERVICE”, which he described as the pathway to the state’s greatness.
Adelabu said: “There is possibility of a coalition against the incumbent governor and I hope to lead the candidates in the coalition.
“I see a possibility of a coalition. I see coalition partners coming together against the incumbent. We have high hopes that Accord will be the lead candidate.”
He said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Sen. Teslim Folarin was not in the race, saying Makinde was his party’s only opponent.
Adelabu, reeling out statistics, said that Accord Party already has, from 500,000 to 600,000 votes in its kitty, assuring the people of his readiness to offer them quality service.
The governorship candidate said he never regretted resigning from the apex bank to venture into politics.
According to him, “I want to be remembered for my contributions to the development of the state”.
Adelabu said that none of the other candidates, including the incumbent governor, had contributed to the economy of the state than him.
He said that his array of businesses, ranging from real estate, hospitality to farming has no fewer than 3,000 employees, adding, “I never owed them salaries”.
Reacting to criticism that he once rated Makinde high for excellent performance, Adelabu said in the last three and a half years, Makinde had performed below 25 per cent.
“I heard that some mischief makers said I commended Makinde and scored him 70 per cent. I never commended him at all. I don’t think there is anywhere he scored 25 per cent.
“I only scored him 70 per cent for completing the Moniya-Iseyin Road.
Let me tell you that he scored below 25 per cent in general performance,” Adelabu said.
He accused Makinde of crippling both the economy and local government administration in the state, saying, “only a technocrat with vision can return the state to the path of greatness”.
The former CBN deputy governor expressed confidence that Accord would fill in the gap and take the state to the promised land of positively turn around the state economy.
