Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, former governor of Oyo State, has described claims in some quarters that he is not qualified to lead the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State as baseless and unintelligent.
Chief Alao-Akala heads the APC reconciliation committee in Oyo State.
Criticism trailing his emergence as the chairman of the committee predates the death of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the late acting National Chairman of the party.
Chief Alao-Akala said, “Those purveying the news are political neophytes and non-starters.
“I have read and heard comments by some politicians about the leadership of the party, after the untimely death of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, and I am not ready to join issues with them because they lack the political experience and exposure to understand that people command leadership and not demand it.
“The purveyors of the rumour, to say the least, are political neophytes and non-starters. I have not told nor begged anybody that I want to lead the party. The leadership of the party would emerge naturally.
“Those people are just privileged because they joined the party before me, not because they know what leadership is all about.
“By the special grace of God, I have been whatever I had prayed to be in this state. I have paid my dues as a politician of note.
Those running their mouths on party leadership are non-starters.
“What is uppermost in my mind now is to take the party out of the woods by making sure that peace and genuine reconciliation is achieved in the party ahead of future elections.”
