Oyo State Youths Grand Alliance Dissociates Self From Purported Saturday Rally

A coalition of youth organisations under the umbrella body of Oyo State Youths Grand Alliance (OYSGA) has dissociated itself from a purported rally slated for Saturday on behalf of a gubernatorial candidate of a particular political party.

Rising from an emergency meeting in Saki, Oke-Ogun area of the state, youths from various youth organisations drawn from the seven geo-political zones of the state said the purported rally by some unknown youths does not represent the interest of the youths across the state.

In a communique signed by Kunle Adeola, Sikiru Ayinla, Kolawole Olukunle, Dauda Adegoke, Joseph Bankole, Rasaki Olayiwola and Solomon Bamitale, which they all represented each zone, noted that it was shocking that some faceless youths could go that far because of financial inducement to mortgage their future.

Reading the communique on behalf of the groups, Sikiru Ayinla stated that, “We want to state categorically that OYSGA is not affiliated with any political party but we are out to serve and protect the interest of the youths within the state.

“The OYSGA want to affirm as well that we are not part of the rally, which is just meant to serve the interest of youth wing of that party organising the rally but not the interest of Oyo state youth. We want to call on reasonable youths to disregard the purported rally. 

“Before the commencement of the electioneering process, OYSGA, which is the umbrella body of all youth organisations in the state set up seven (7) man committee, representing each zone of the state to assess all the gubernatorial candidates and come out with the best.

“The report submitted by the committee shows that the gubernatorial candidate that came third is one purportedly adopted by these unknown youth groups.

“Based on our findings and considering the antecedent and past records of all the gubernatorial candidates of all the political parties, OYSGA deem it fit to endorse and announce our support for the gubernatorial candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator Olufemi Lanlehin as the preferred candidate for March 2, 2019 governorship election.

“Also considering the disposition of the gubernatorial candidates at the recent BCC political debate, it was evident that the candidate of APC has high temperament and could not control his anger when a certain question was posted to him.

“But the disposition of the ADC candidate, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin shows his maturity, calmness and strategic and this could be translated into how he would handle sensitive issues while governing state.

“The OYSGA has studied the manifesto and blue print of the political parties and we find out that Senator Lanlehin of ADC’s plan for youths development supercede all other political parties in the state, hence, our support for him.

“Both APC and PDP have been tested in Oyo state and we have discovered that both political parties have failed the populace, particularly the youths. The increment rate of youth unemployment in the state call for concern.

“Also in the recent time both the APC and the PDP campaigns were characterised with violence while the campaign of the ADC which has the highest number of followers is always conducted peacefully and this shows the true colours of all leading political parties.

“And this is the reason all the youths in the state under the umbrella body of Oyo State Youths Grand Alliance are throwing their weight behind the aspiration of Senator Lanlehin candidature.

” We want to also express our dissatisfaction on the YES-O programme of the present administration, which was always shrouded in secrecy. Those that were recruited at the inception of Governor Ajimobi were not paid before they were disbanded.

“We learnt that they have also recruited another youths in secrecy for the same programme as a ploy to use them for election malpractices. We want to appeal to all the youths in the state not to allow themselves to used as a tool for political violence, but to strives to build a better future for themselves, the state and the country as a whole”, the communique concluded.