Rotimi Agboluaje
The contest for the Osun West senatorial seat in July 8 bye-election has reached feverish pitch as parties form alliances to improve their chances among voters.
The ruling All Progressives Congress at the weekend joined forces with seven others to brighten its chances in an election that is a straight fight between it, the Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP and eight other parties.
The APC and the seven political parties have organized themselves into a coalition under the name of the Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties (ACPP).
The parties in the coalition are Action Congress of Democrats (ACD), All Progressives Congress (APC), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Labour Party (LP), Mega Progressive Peoples Parties (MPPP), National Conscience Party (NCP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and United Democratic Party (UDP).
Prince Adesoji Masilo Adeleke, the former and pioneer Osun state Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the current Chairman of the United Democratic Party (UDP) noted that preparations are now in top gear for the Osun West Senatorial by-election in the state as the electoral contest is a straight fight between his party UDP, APC candidate, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s brother, Ademola Adeleke of the PDP and other eight candidates.
Earlier, at a joint press conference held in Ede at the weekend, the leadership of the opposition parties in the state told journalists that they have agreed to adopt Adeleke as their candidate to ensure his victory in the election.
The chairman of CNPP in the state who is also the state Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Popoola Olatunji stated the opposition political parties would work for Adeleke to defeat the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Mudasiru Hussain.
The political parties that adopted Adeleke include Action Alliance (AA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Democratic People’s Party (DPP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) and People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).
In a swift reaction, the Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties (ACPP) has denied alleged adoption of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate for the forthcoming Osun West Senatorial by-election, Mr. Ademola Adeleke by political parties in Osun state. The Alliance stated
The Alliance made the denial in a press statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo at the weekend by the Chairman and Financial Secretary of the association Comr. Waheed Lawal and Adesoji Massilo Adeleke.
Prince Massilo Adesoji Adeleke in his statement said “Pastor Popoola who was once his secretary in CNPP has no right to speak for all the registered political parties in the state.
“APGA is not among the contesting political parties for the Osun West Senatorial by-election. His political party has a case in court, why is he interfering in issues that doesn’t concern him. It has been made known from a reliable source that only eleven political parties will be participating in the forthcoming senatorial by-election.
“The parties include ACD, APC, GPN, LP, MPPP, NCP, NNPP, PDP, PRP, SDP and UDP. Please where is APGA? My sincere advice to him is to leave APGA and join his vague civil rights association for it is no more news that he is becoming irrelevant and extraneous.”
Names of eleven registered political parties expected to participate in the by-election according to the Independent Electoral Commission in a June 16 letter with reference no INEC/LEG/DR/91/1/34, are Action Congress of Democrats (ACD), All Progressives Congress (APC), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Labour Party (LP), Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP), National Conscience Party (NCP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and United Democratic Party (UDP).
The 11 political parties have taken their campaigns to the crannies of the 10 local governments of the Senatorial constituency, wooing voters with promises.
The seat became vacant after the sudden death of the occupier, late Senator Isiaka Adeleke in April
