The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Oyo State, has declared Evangelist James Kolawole Olaniyan as the acting chairman of the Oyo State Chapter, on Friday.
This decision came after the now former Chairman of the party, Wole Abisoye and five other local government chairmen of the party defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, on Wednesday at the Agodi Government House.
There is no bad blood between the ZLP and PDP; the ZLP political party was even part of the coalition political parties that merged with the PDP to produce the victory of Governor Seyi Makinde in the 2019 election.
The ZLP gubernatorial candidate, Chief Sharafadeen Alli who halted his ambition for Makinde, held a meeting with the All Progressives Congress for their possible defection to the party, after failed promises made to them by the PDP.
Bimbo Adepoju, the Secretary of the party, On Friday, announced the new chairman at an emergency meeting attended by the 28 party chairmen at the party Secretariat, Samonda Ibadan, further adding that Senator Rashidi Ladoja remains the leader of ZLP in the state.
Chief Alli was present at this meeting and all the 28 Local Government Chairmen of the party and other major stakeholders.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the secretary of the party,
Adepoju said; “We are here to look at the recent developments in our party, especially the defection of our chairman to the PDP. He joined the PDP without the consent of our father and leader, Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and other leaders of the party.
“However, the party is intact. As you can see, 28 of our chairmen are here. They are here to pledge support for our party and our leader, Chief Rashidi Ladoja who knows nothing about their meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde.
“I want to appeal to our members to continue working because we are consulting with people. The leader of PDP in the Southwest, former Governor Ayodele Fayose and our leader, Baba Ladoja are talking and I can assure you that everything will be clearer soon”
The new acting chairman, Evangelist James Kolawole Olaniyan, in his speech urged all members of the party to keep working diligently for the progress of the party, adding that ZLP is plotting a surprise in Oyo State.