He disclosed while addressing party faithful that came together on his Ibara Government Reservation Area, Abeokuta, that no single individual within the party, no matter highly placed, could determine where the next governor of the state would come from in 2019.
He also plead with the party not to underestimate the threat post by the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who had promised that the Peoples Democratic Party would trounce the APC in the governorship election holding next year.
Osoba stated that the APC needs to embrace internal democracy in order to strengthen its chances in the general elections.
The former Governor said some ex-governors that installed ‘anointed candidates’ became sworn enemies with them months after.
But Osoba declared that Ogun East Senatorial District is also eligible to contest for the governorship seat just as the Yewa-Awori people of Ogun West.
“Don’t let us underestimate Fayose. You must fight him. We cannot afford to play with Osun either. Those two states are important. If we can do clear primaries in these two states and APC wins, then whatever happen in Ekiti and Osun must happen in Oyo and Ogun when it gets to our turn to deliver.
“As a party, we have not zoned the governorship seat. There was nothing like zoning of offices in the past. We give opportunity to anyone to aspire, but we have always used maturity to settle it among us. That is unwritten, it is a convention. It is not the rule and nobody will go against the agreement.
“Now, so many things have divided us. The Ijebu now come together to be claiming the Ijebu agenda. We must leave the field open. We must examine the Yewa and Ijebu agenda,” he said.
Osoba canvassed for unity within the party, submitting that it is not right for anyone to set up structure outside the party.
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