Leaders and thousands of members of the Reformed Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Ogun State Council, led by Otunba Rotimi Paseda, have vowed to throw their weight behind the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Barrister Biyi Otegbeye in the coming March 18 governorship poll.
Paseda, who is the National Grand Patron and former associate of late Dr. Fredrick Fasheun’s faction and coalition of OPC in Nigeria, facilitated the collaboration meeting in order to ensure the realisation of ADC’s Otegbeye governorship ambition in the state.
During the well-attended meeting held on Thursday at the State Secretariat of Reformed-OPC, Ogbe, Abeokuta, the ADC governorship candidate, who was duly represented by his running mate, Olatunde Awonuga, alongside other party delegates, expressed gratitude to the group in their thousands and seek unflinching support for ADC in the coming governorship poll.
Awonuga while seeking further support from the OPC, promised the leadership of the Group that the ADC administration will not let them down, but will rather take them as one of the priorities to be taken care of, when elected as governor.
Awonuga said “We are glad to be here because we have the interest of this ‘Reformed-OPC group’ at heart in our party, ADC.
“OPC is no doubt a significant socio-cultural group of strong men and women, and we cannot avoid to seek your collaboration and integration.
“We are here to team-up with this Group in order to rise and shine together, and we shall build a standard State Secretariat for you when we emerge.
“I want you to know that a vote for ADC is a vote for security and protection of lives and property, and I strongly believe that your support and votes will never be regretted.”
He further condemned the Abiodun-led APC government for lip services and poor attention to socio-cultural groups, and promised to ensure the protection and emancipation of OPC groups within and beyond the state.
The National Vice President, Comrade Omotosho Afolabi-Alekuwodo and the National Organizing Secretary of the OPC group, Alhaji Taofeek Adeyemi, appreciated the ADC candidates and their delegates for not looking down on their Group.
“We welcome you and appreciate you for coming to seek our support, and for not looking down on us. We are glad to have you and we shall do our best to support you because, our Grand Patron, Otunba Rotimi Paseda has convinced us enough to support you, and we shall support you”, Omotosho said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Taofeek said, “We have the voting and policing power of well-over 8,000 men in Ogun State alone and similarly across 32 States in Nigeria, and we are physically and metaphysical gifted as ‘Omo Oodua t’okan t’okan’ (true sons of Oodua).
“With the efforts of our Grand Patron, Otunba Rotimi Paseda, we shall not only support you, we will also ensure that we all vote and monitor our votes accordingly”.
In his response, Awonuga thanked the leadership and members of the OPC Group for accepting to team-up with ADC, and praised them for maintaining peace in the State and Nigeria as a whole.
He also thanked all the national leadership of the Group, as well as Otunba Rotimi Paseda for initiating the event and leading thousands of OPC members to support the ADC, and further promised to always support their quest for a peaceful Ogun State.
The former two-time governorship candidate in Ogun State, Paseda equally urged the group to be vigilant and charged them to ensure that their votes are peacefully protected come March 18 governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
Other Chieftains at the event include the National Secretary, Reformed-OPC, Alhaji Ololade Balogun-Balo, the Ogun State Chairman, Reformed-OPC, Comrade Ola Olaegbe, Ogun State Vice Chairman, Reformed-OPC, Comrade Tiamiyu Wasiu Ademola, among others.
