From Damola Adeloye, Ibadan
A Chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, from the South West, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has said that nobody can turn Nigeria into a one-party state, saying Nigerians are too wise, too sophisticated to allow a party State.
Ajadi made this known while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday, when he paid a courtesy visit on the Ibadan grassroots politician, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeeyan.
He said if President Bola Tinubu refused to change the current narrative to favour the people, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, will receive shock during the next election in 2027 from the opposition.
“It is not possible to have a one-party system in Nigeria. A single person cannot change the country’s party system. We are a multi-party State. I am very sure that by the next election something will happen except President Bola Tinubu changes the narrative positively to favour the masses”.
Ajadi said he decided to pay a courtesy visit to Alhaji Olopoeeyan because he is his political leader and father.
Speaking on the visit, Ajadi said Alhaji Olopoeeyan has been calling on him to visit him in Ibadan saying he heeded to that call on Tuesday.
He said, “I am surprised today that the whole discussion has been centred on a call on me to shift my politics to Oyo State. I am an Ibadan Indigene. My father is a known figure in Oja Igbo in Ibadan North East Local Government.
“Alhaji Olopoeeyan admonished me to come to Ibadan, my home town to practice politics. He said though my mum is from Ilaro in Ogun State, I should come to my state of origin to practice politics.
“You may want to ask how I feel about that. To me, it didn’t make any difference, politics is about serving the people and I have interest in turning the son of nobody to somebody. I love to serve the masses.
“Politics is about serving the people. When you have the passion to serve, anywhere you are, you are good to go We have a lot to do and we keep doing our best for the people”.
Also speaking Olopoeeyan, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said that he dragged the former governorship candidate of the party in Ogun State, Ambassador Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, into Oyo State politics so that he can contribute to the development of his father’s land, Ibadan, and his state of origin, Oyo.
Olopoeeyan said though he has returned to the PDP, he woud soon officially announce his return to the party in a funfair, adding that he wouldn’t know if his nephew, Ajadi, would join his new party.
“But I think he has done enough politically and in terms of empowerment for the people on the side of his mother’s origin in Ogun.
“I believe he will follow me to wherever I am going. He has been a good sibling, a loyal party man in NNPP. We hardly disagree. I believe he will continue to go where I ask him to go politically.
“But he is an accomplished person in his own right; I can’t force my opinion on him. He will take his decision. But I said he has to come to Ibadan to help in building his father’s state too, after contributing to the development of Ogun where his mother hailed from.
“We are politicians, and I am not unmindful of the need for him to identify with his roots. He has been involved in many philanthropic activities in Yewaland and Ogun State in general. Let him help Ibadanland too. He is from Oja’gbo in Ibadan. We need him. He will tell me his decision”.
