The Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in Oyo state, Michael F. Lana Esq. has said he know nothing about the alliance reached with All progressive congress APC and its candidate Sen. Teslim Folari. in Oyo state.
Lana made the denial on Wednesday evening during a press conference held with the journalist in Ibadan.
The learned governorship candidate frowned at the SDP state chairman over decision to trade away the party without considering the brighter chances of the governorship candidate in next Saturday election.
Press statement read:
It has just come to my notice that the leadership of our Party, the Social Democratic Party in Oyo State of which I am the governorship candidate has collapsed its structure in favour of Senator Teslim Folarin, the candidate of the APC.
While it is the right of every person to choose the candidate he or she wants to vote for, it is however unfortunate the way and manner this has happened, though none of us from Ibadan is surprised because from the beginning the body language of the State Chairman had shown that he never meant well for the party despite all our efforts.
First, they alleged that I am not as rich as the other contestants but they cannot fault the fact that I have refused to be wealthy because I have to use my law practice to fight for the poor and the downtrodden and they have not been able to show that the wealthy candidates they want to support are better than me in taking our people from the doldrums of abject poverty or that they have the kind of integrity that I have.
Secondly, they opined that since we have a Muslim Muslim ticket at the Federal Level and all Oyo State senators and most of the Members of the House of Representatives are Muslims, a Christian like me should not be the Governor.
It is noteworthy that in fighting for the poor, I have never discriminated against any person. There was a time when there were more Muslims in my Chambers than Christians.
When I was fighting for the poor people who were being oppressed by the rich or the government, nobody said I was a Christian. When I was fighting for the Temidire Market Association to safeguard their land and their Mosque, nobody said I was Christian.
When a government, for political reasons, was hounding the members of NURTW and I was struggling to get them their freedom, where was the Muslim candidate? Even when the said candidate was charged with murder and I stood firmly to get him out of jail on the basis that he was an Ibadan brother, without taking a kobo, they didn’t say I was a Christian.
When the government was unlawfully arresting and shooting at the members of NURTW and Temidire Plank sellers Association and I was all over Ibadan trying to rescue them even though they are mostly Muslims, nobody said I was a Christian.
When I was building a Mosque at Igboho in remembrance of a dead colleague, nobody said I was a Christian.
When I stood up to protect the integrity of Ibadanland, nobody said I was a Christian.
When I was doing all these for our people, where were the wealthy and the religious candidates? Have they ever used their wealth and religion to prosper us or bring succor to our lives? In twelve years at the Senate, what has their candidate ever done for the people of Oyo State or was the agenda simply to Islamise the State? Even then, how many Mosques has he built for the Muslims in the State?
People of Oyo State wanted a competent hand at the helm of affairs and not a religious bigot. And it is easy for the people to know the best candidate from the BBC debate and Splash FM debate. I never knew, that some leaders in Oyo State will descend to this level where competence would be sacrificed on the altar of riches and religion.
I want to let it be clear to everyone of us that I and all Local Government Chairmen in the eleven Local Government Areas of Ibadanland are not supporting Senator Teslim Folarin and I have been mandated by them not to step down for him or the APC. It all depends on you the conscientious people of Oyo State, whether your choice will be based on religion, material gains or competence. I leave that to our conscience.
Thank you.
Michael F. Lana Esq.
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