*Puts other aspirants under pressure

Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s Chief of Staff (COS), Elder Peter Adebayo Babalola on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 took residents of Osogbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ikire by surprise when he literally seized major roads in these towns with long convoy of campaign vehicles.

Babalola fondly called ‘Peter Power’ moved out with his campaign team from his Osogbo GRA resident at about 9.00 am with about 40 buses and jeeps adorned with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) colour and with inscriptions ‘Support Peter Power as Governor in 2011’.

The governorship aspirant also rode in an Open Roof Chrysler Jeep with Reg. No. Osun PT 11 KRE.

Attracted by the number of vehicles with same colour and same message, hundreds of residents of Osogbo, the state capital moved out en masse to catch a glimpse of this rare occasion while Babalola also used the privilege to wave his hands to his admirers.

The convoy moved from Oke-Fia through Isiaka Adeleke Freeway, to Ile-Epo Olaiya and headed for Ilesa, then to Ile-Ife and Ikire, the hometown of Babalola.

Osun Mail gathered that the same scenario repeated itself at Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ikire.

From Ikire, the convoy returned to Osogbo where Oyinlola’s COS commissioned his campaign office at Ogo-Oluwa, along Osogbo-Gbongan road.

He later moved to the PDP secretariat at Dada Estate to meet some leaders of his party on his intention of interest in the governorship seat.

Peter Babalola’s convoy took off from the PDP secretariat to Osogbo township stadium where thousands of his supporters have been waiting for him for more than three hours.

Immediately he arrived at the stadium, the atmosphere became electrifying as mammoth crowd came out milling around the governorship aspirant just as he was seen waving to his supporters.  

Before his arrival, party loyalists garbed in ‘Peter Power for Governor Vests and ankara cloths’ have been enjoying music from gospel musician, Yinka Ayefele, Apala maestro, Musiliu Haruna Ishola and a juju musician known as Ara Special.

After acknowledging cheers from his admirers, Peter went straight to where his wife, Opeyemi Babalola seated and whispered ‘Iya Adura, I love you’ to her ear.

Besides, the COS went to where the members of Akire-in-Council seated and prostrated in recognition of the unshaken support of Akire of Ikire, Oba Falabi towards his ambition.

At the podium, the Director of Peter Babalola’s Campaign programme for the day, Alhaji Abioye Makinde who is the Special Adviser to Governor Oyinlola on Agriculture recognized the presence of PDP stalwarts at the occasion after the opening prayer said by Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Taiwo Sunmonu.

Praises were showered on Babalola by those who gave the goodwill messages. Some of them included the representative of Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Mr. Akantioke, Chief Mrs. Atinuke Oyawoye and Commissioner for Works, Dr. Bayo Faforiji.

Some people who graced the occasion are labour union leaders led by the State Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Oladele Adetunji, Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Oyeyemi, Chairman, Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Comrade Bayo Adejumo, Chairman, Senior Staff Association, Comrade Akin Olatunji, Chairman, Nigerian Civil Service Union, Comrade Matthew Babarinde, Chairman, Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Comrade Awoniyi and former Chairman, Medical and Health Association, Comrade Dupe Ojo with several others.

Two governorship aspirants from the PDP, Alhaji Lateef Bakare and Akinrogun Tunde Odanye sent their representatives. Mr. Gbolahan Ayegbayo stood in for Bakare while one Mr. Gandi represented Odanye.

Babalola reportedly invited the remaining 14 governorship aspirants to his flagging off campaign.

In his speech, Babalola listed 12-point agenda and promised to continue with Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s achievements in office after 2011.

“The last six and a half years under the leadership of our amiable Prince of Progress, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, have seen Osun State making giant strides towards economic development. You are living witnesses to the several breath-taking achievements of Prince Oyinlola in all sectors. We seek to consolidate on all these and move on to build on them. I am convinced that I need to ask you to join me in making this consolidation a reality”, he stated.

While assuring his supporters of victory, Babalola cautioned that governance should be separated from religion: As for those who may want to coat the current struggle in religious apparels, we hasten to stress that the demands of the moment (and of the future) know no religious barriers. The challenged of hunger, of poverty and of joblessness are no respecters of religious and so let no one insult us by politicizing our religious.