African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in the 2019 Oyo State House of Assembly election, Hon. Dikko Salami has distanced himself from joining All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an open letter he addressed to senator Olufemi Lanlehin on Thursday, said he did not declare to join APC, adding that he preferred to stay aloof.
Dikko, who contested for Oluyole State House of Assembly expressed his displeasure at the step taken by Lanlehin to jettison his ambition after he had garnered over (Four Thousand) 4,000 votes from his supporters in Oluyole constituency.
His statement said
“Dear Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (SOLAN)”
“I forwarded a message to my other colleagues while you are at Premier hotel for the declaration to leave African Democratic Congress (ADC) for All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In the SMS, I declared my intention that “for now, I’m staying aloof nor have interest in joining All Progressives Congress (APC) based on the following grounds”
1. When elections were going on during the last general election that ushered in to power the PDP without prior discussions with any of ADC members, you undemocratically asked us to withdraw for PDP and we were later told that you have entered into an agreement that all contesting candidates would be afforded the opportunity to participate in forming the PDP Government, having secured 30% concession to us. As at that point in time, I had garnered over (Four Thousand) 4,000 votes from my supporters in Oluyole Constituency but to my surprise, we later read from prints, electronics and social media that there was no such agreement between ADC & PDP. We requested for document signed to lend credence to this 30% agreement but no documents tendered and up till now, all those that were picked by PDP was a result of their personal and individual efforts. Till now, I still remain on my own as a candidate or one of the candidates with the highest number of votes in ADC, I have not being afforded the opportunity to be appointed for any political office.
2. Again, you invited us to a meeting in your residence at Ada Ibeji on 14th September, 2020 that we should meet to discuss our next line of action since the agreement between ADC & PDP seemed to prove abortive and we believed this is a practical demonstration of your good intentions & feelings for all of us that are yet to benefit from the agreement between PDP & ADC and since the meeting you summoned was in tandem with democracy and democratic principles all over the world. However, nothing democratic took place during the meeting. In the opposite, you just informed all of us that we were going to join and declare for APC on 17th September, 2020 at Premier Hotel which I failed to attend because that decision was unilaterally imposed on the attendees. To worsen the matter, I started seeing my pictures and hearing my name insinuating that I have agreed to join APC.
3. Sir, I would like to remind you that immediately after that imposition of opinion on me, you called a caucus meeting of all candidates & sought our opinion but I Salami Ibraheem Oladeji (Dikko) made it abundantly clear that no tangible reason was given for our joining APC but you did not respond to our anxiety & curiosity that informed your decision to take us to APC and that was why, I did not attend the declaration at Premier Hotel as a signal of my rejection of the imposition in its entirety.
4. As a grassroot politician, it behooves me to carry along my Leaders & followers to keep them posted on next line of action to take, whether to remain in ADC or defect/return to any party of our choice in compliance with democratic principles and freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution. The entire ADC in Oluyole Local Governemnt under the leadership of Alhaji Chief Wahab Abiodun, Alhaji Hamsalad Mustapha, Mr Sekoni Oyebode, Alhaji Wasiu, Engr. Moruf Adebayo, Mr Moruf Oluyole, Alhaja Oriaje, Mrs Folashade Ayoola, Oloye Abegunde, Mrs Serifat Balogun, Alhaji Salam Salam and also under the ADC Chairman & its executives namely: Mr taiwo Salami, Ifakola Muideen, Mrs Anifat Kareem, Mrs Dasola Babalola, Mr Bello Saidi, Bolanle Abass, Fausat Ramoni, Rasheedat Lasisi, Rafiu Aree, Dasola babalola, Rasheedat Yekini, Mariam Adelodun, Halimat Makinde, Fausat Ramoni etc. And over 2000 followers told me categorically that they are not prepared to move from ADC to APC until it’s crystal clear that PDP has rejected them because evidences abound that the agreement between PDP & ADC is being implemented gradually and as a matter of fact, ADC still remains a party on its own and has not received any letter of invitation to declare for any other political party.
In conclusion, I hereby debunk my defection to APC. However, I have my respect and 100% loyalty to Senator Lanlehin as my former ADC Leader but I cannot be coerced to do something against my wish because politics is not a do or die affairs.
