The political rivalry between Adekunle Akinlade, the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Olamilekan Adeola Solomon, also known as Yayi, the senatorial candidate in Ogun West under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC is getting worse every day.
The two have been on each other’s necks and both have engaged in a war of words over their political ambition.
Akinlade had promised to do anything under the ambit of the law to stop Yayi’s election to the Senate in the state. He had questioned the fact that Yayi, who is still representing Lagos West senatorial district, would clinch his party’s ticket to represent Ogun West in 2023.
Solomon who is an incumbent Senator representing Lagos West had ported to Ogun -West where he secured a ticket of the APC to run for the 2023 election. Yayi too responded to Akinlade’s insult and accused him of having a criminal record in the United Kingdom which is why the politician cannot step in for fear of arrest.
When it was beginning to look like the two politicians were are done with their childish exchange, they resumed again, laying accusations and counter-allegations against each other.
Yayi who has kicked off his campaign visited Ipokia Local Government, Akinlade’s hometown and promised to build a bridge linking Ipokia to Badagry in a bid to ensure the border is reopened. He also promised to erect a state of art polytechnic in Ipokia.
He had earlier accused Akinlade of betraying the people of Ogun West by accepting to be the running mate to Ladi Adebutu of the PDP after collecting money and automobiles.
Having heard the promises made by Yayi and the accusation laid against him, Akinlade cautioned the senatorial candidate to stop making empty promises. Akinlade labeled Yayi as a pathological liar. He added that he wouldn’t have responded to his lies if they were said elsewhere but because he wants to misguide people in his hometown, Ipokia it is best he responds to his lies. He said the vehicles Adeola was speaking about were bought about eight years ago. He added that he is not a spendthrift which is why he was about to maintain those vehicles for that long.
The deputy governorship candidate accused Yayi of being carefree which is why he changes vehicles within six months or a year since the money is not from his sweat. Also commenting on the allegation that he betrayed Ogun West, Akinlade said Yayi is like the proverbial one -eyed goat that makes an animal abuse its owner. He also added that Solomon has not capacity to reopen borders in Yewa.
Akinlade called his promises empty as the lawmaker does not have the power to do such. He accused Yayi of being helpless since he is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance which means the Minister of Finance is under him and the policy that led to closing the borders came from that ministry.
Akinlade asked Yayi what has been done to the issue in over three years that he has been in the Senate. The deputy governorship candidate also made reference to the Polytechnic in Ipokia which has been abandoned since 2019, asking what the Lagos Senator did to rescue the situation despite his closeness to the current administration.
Also touching on the Ogun West agenda, the former House of Representatives member recalled how Solomon and others joined forces against producing the first Ogun West governor in 2019. He also accused him of being an indigene of Ekiti State.
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