Opposition parties mull merger in South West

Afaction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, a former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and a former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday, at a separate meetings with the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, discussed merger of opposition parties in the South West states.

The meetings were held at Ondo Street, Bodija, Ibadan home of former governor Ladoja.

A source close to Ladoja told Daily Trust that the meetings were not unconnected with the permutations of major opposition parties in the South West ahead of the 2019 general elections.

At the meeting in Ladoja’s team were the former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Barr. Sharafadeen Alli, Senator Femi Lanlehin, PDP leaders in Oyo State, Otunba Yemi Aderibigbe, Barrister Bayo Lawal, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, Engineer Nureni Adisa, Arch Bashiru Lawal and Hon. Bimbo Adepeju.

Oyinlola who arrived at Ladoja’s house around 9am told Daily Trust that the meeting was not political. He said: “I am here to visit my brother.”

Also after the meeting, Mimiko who recently defected to Labour Party, declined comment but later said, “this is a private visit, please.”

A source close to Ladoja confirmed to Daily Trust that members of the Unity Forum led by Senator Monsuratu Sunmonu were on their way to meet former governor Ladoja in ensuring they worked together.

One of the members of Ladoja’s team said the two former governors visited the ex- Oyo governor to woo him as a result of the seven days ultimatum given to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP by the Ladoja group, following the crisis in the state chapter of the party. Ladoja recently issued a seven-day ultimatum to the NWC of the PDP over some unsettled crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

On the other hand, the APC faction otherwise known as Unity Forum, after a face-off with Governor Abiola Ajimobi, had threatened to quit the party if the NWC refused to address their grievances.