Razaq Bamidele
The Chairman, Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Pastor Popoola Olatunji (JP), has said that numerical strength of his party’s membership in Osun State presently is intimidating, warning that, any political party that underrates it in 2022 governorship poll does so at its own peril.
The Ikirun, Osun State-born cleric cum politician, in a chat weekend in Osogbo, the state capital boasted that APGA is so popular in Nigeria that it has become the third-largest party in-country, reminding that, “we have a governor in Anambra State and several members of House of Representatives from Anambra, Taraba, Benue, Imo, Abia and the Bayelsa States in Abuja.”
Speaking further, the APGA State boss asserted that, the party’s tentacles are now being extended to Osun State, “where we have members in thousands in addition to several prominent enthusiasts who are eying the party with a view to joining it.”
While reminding that membership drive is a continuous exercise in any political clime, Olatunji expressed the delight that, “many new and aggrieved members of other parties are already joining our fold on daily basis,” informing that, “others are still consulting with us since they know that our door is wide open to accommodate all.”
On 2022 governorship election in the state, the Pentecostal Pastor expressed confidence that
APGA would give both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state a serious fight, pointing out that, “with its present strength in the state, APGA would be the party to beat.”
APGA, according to Olatunji, is well positioned and well prepared to win the governorship election for good and not just to participate for mere participation sake, stating that, with hunger and poverty ravaging the people in the state, the chance of APGA as the viable alternative should not be underestimated because APGA government is possible from November 2022.
On forming a working alliance with other parties, Olatunji said, it may be possible but quickly added that “But for now, there is nothing of such.”
Though he admitted that the sitting state governor, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola has done his best, he maintained that “an APGA government will bring back the lost glory of Osun state from 2022.”
Speaking on deregistration of political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the cleric is opposed to it, suggesting that, “any party that is not viable will go under by itself through natural death.”
