By Celephina Onovo
All Progressive Congress (APC) national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu on Saturday moved again to consolidate his hold on Yoruba politics by causing three key politicians from Oyo State to join his party.
Former People’s Democratic Party Governor Alao Akala of Oyo State, former senator from the state on the PDP ticket, Teslim Folarin and another political heavyweight from the state, Arapaja were all welcomed into the APC fold amidst jubilation in the state.
Tinubu was on hand to receive the former PDP chieftains supported by all the governors from the APC controlled South West states.
Analysts believe Tinubu is consolidating his hold in the South West ahead of 2019 and may have sold the idea of granting the fresh defectors the APC senatorial tickets to them ahead of 2019.
There are insinuations that Tinubu is scheming to run for the presidency even though he has repeatedly pledged his support to President Muhammadu Buhari.