I have no preferred presidential candidate yet for 2023 election, says Ladoja

Says N100m nomination form recipe for corruption

The Otun Olubadan-designate and former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashid Ladoja, has dismissed the possibility of supporting any presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 election.

Ladoja, who spoke yesterday with journalists at his Ondo Street, Old Bodija residence, in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitri celebration, noted that his stance was hinged on the fact that no aspirant has emerged as the standard-bearer of the various political parties involved.

He said it would be too early for him to endorse any candidate when they have not even emerged in their respective political parties.

He said: “The race is yet to start. The race actually starts when a candidate emerges. You can’t endorse a candidate who is yet to emerge.

“Politicians should learn peace and tolerance if truly they want to serve. There should be no fight. People are at liberty to choose whoever they want to serve them.”

The former governor also took a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for selling its presidential forms at N100 million.

He lamented that such an action would encourage corruption.

“The fees is to separate contenders from pretenders. They feel their party is so important and bold and widely accepted, and they claim that because they want only serious contenders, that was why the fee was high. Is that not encouraging corruption?

“The arrogance of these parties is becoming too much.

“I would have love to see the 36 states of the country being shared among seven political parties.

‘’If other parties can also win elections in some states, the arrogance of the two major political parties will go down,” he lamented.