I Almost Neglected Family Because Of Politics – Ladoja

MICHAEL AKINOLA

 

A former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, on Saturday said that he retired from seeking political offices because he overworked himself while he was the governor of the state.

Senator Ladoja, who is now the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, was the Governor of Oyo State between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said that the need to rest and attend to family demands made him to retire from seeking elective positions because the situation at hand now deserves the need to rest.

Ladoja, while speaking with journalists in Ighoho, headquarters of Oorelope Local Government Area, recounted his journey from Accord Party to the Zenith Labour Party.
He insisted that candidates’ selection procedure made him to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

He reiterated that the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state was not free and fair, leading to the suit his party filed at the election tribunal.

Ladoja while speaking said, “We have done what we could do, but I have said I won’t be vying for any office again.

“I almost neglected my family when I was in government because I gave my all to ensure good governance.

Senator Ladoja, who is now a chieftain of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), added that he can only counsel the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli and not that he will be dictating for him after he becomes the governor in May, 2019.

He said, “I will only counsel Sarafadeen Alli when he becomes Governor. I can’t run his government for him. He would be the one to receive praises or insults, so he will do well to heed to good counsels”.

The former governor lamented that he was just an edifice without influence when he was in ADC.

“They started doing things they didn’t tell us before we joined the party. They didn’t tell us that some persons will be given automatic ticket.
We questioned the integrity of those they wanted to give automatic ticket. What is the assurance that people will vote for them?
When we saw that we couldn’t persuade them to do the right thing, we decided to leave the party because we aren’t sure of its future” Ladoja said.