The leadership of Alliance for Democracy (AD) on Wednesday said it has withdrawn its support for the Oyo State gubernatorial candidate of the party, Mr. Hakeem Alao.
Members of South-West caucus of the party, made this known shortly after their meeting held in Ibadan, the state capital.
The South West leaders in a communiqué signed by AD National Secretary, Pastor Akin Fasogbon; Chairman of the party in Oyo State, Pastor Akinade Alamu; Ondo State Chairman, Eder Seriki Adebobola; the Ekiti State Chairman, Mr Charles Famuseye and the Lagos State AD chairman, Mr Kola Ajayi, said that the party had withdrawn its support for the gubernatorial candidate of the party for allegedly unilaterally picked his Deputy.
The leaders while disowning Alao, however, added that they had approved the adoption of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engineer Seyi Makinde, by the AD in Oyo State.
The leaders in the communiqué issued on Wednesday, maintained that the adoption of Makinde instead of Alao was in line with the participation of the AD in the CUPP arrangement at the national level.
They also called on the new Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to be fair to all political parties before, during and after the general election.
The party leaders added that they were in support for the position of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere to back any presidential candidate that is ready to restructure Nigeria, noting that without restructuring, the ship of the country would continue to head in the wrong direction.
The leaders urged the public to discountenance the recent suspension of the South-West leader of the party, Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye, the Oyo State AD chairman and Mr Babatunde Tijani.
They noted that those behind the purported suspension were unknown to the party and that the action should be disregarded.
They said in the communiqué that, “The party withdraws its support and disowns the candidature of Mr Hakeem Alao as its governorship candidate for unilaterally picking a running mate unknown to the AD and absconding from the party after picking its governorship ticket.”
“The AD hereby expels Adeola Adepoju (Oyo), Gbenga Adesina (Lagos) and Eniola Ojajuni (Ondo) for anti-party activities.”
