Iyiola Omisore, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has entered into an alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Osun state governorship rerun election.
The alliance means a setback for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had been banking on the support of Omisore to take power from the APC.
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Omisore, who came a distant third in the inconclusive election, has been under pressure from the PDP and APC because Ife, his stronghold, is among the four local government area where the rerun would hold.
Senate President Bukola Saraki led some PDP leaders to the Ife residence of Omisore on Monday.
Twenty-four hours after, Adams Oshiomhole, chairman of the APC, four governors, a minister and a high-ranking APC legislator met with Omisore.
He had initially failed to endorse any of the leading parties, asking his supporters to go with any party that shares the interest of SDP.
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But addressing reporters at his Ife residence on Wednesday, he said his party had decided to endorse APC.
“We have accepted to support the APC for victory in the rerun election tomorrow and thereafter form a coalition government,” he said.
Addressing journalists in Abuja earlier on Wednesday, Eddy Olafeso, PDP national vice-chairman (south-west), said the party was relying on God to secure victory in the rerun.
He said this while responding to a question on the outcome of the meeting with Omisore.
“We met with the leaders but victory is in the hands of God… even if people play around, God will not play around. He’ll determine the outcome of the election,” he had said.
