The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has gone deeper as the party stakeholders rejected the return of Mr Ajiboye Omodewu as the party chairman.
The stakeholders who rose from a meeting in Ibadan today, Sunday, noted that there was no congress on which Omodewu could be returned as State Chairman, wondering the basis on which the National Secretariat could have issued Omodewu with a Certificate of Return.
They vowed to use every legal means to return the party to the majority of its members who overwhelmingly returned Alhaji Abubakar Adejare Gbadamosi as State Chairman of the party.
Some of the stakeholders include Minister for Youths and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare and former Minister for Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Senator Soji Akanbi, Senator Fatai Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2019 election, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman of the Nigeria Lotteries Regulatory Commission, Professor Adeolu Akande, Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Ismail Adewusi, Post Master General of the Federation, Hon Zach Adedeji Adelabu, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, Engr Joseph Tegbe, a gubernatorial aspirant, Dr Azeez Adedutan, former Commissioner of Health, and Hon. Wale Murphy Olatunji, Chairman, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM).
A press statement signed by Senator Adebayo Adeseun which listed other subscribers to the statement stated that the inauguration of Omodewu is a threat to the APC in Oyo State as the enthronement of a minority group on a majority cannot stand. “It will only lead the party to electoral disaster in Oyo State”, they noted.
“The detail of what transpired on the purported State Congress of the party in Oyo State is an open book. At the Stakeholders meeting held at the National Secretariat on November 4, 2021, the National Secretary declared that the purported Congress conducted on October 30 at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan “was held in error” and without the knowledge nor approval of the National Chairman of the party. He apologized to the members for the error and the meeting resolved to complete the Consensus election of a State Chairman which had produced Alhaji Gbadamosi as State Chairman.
“The purported return of Omodewu is the climax of a reign of impunity which a tiny and minority section of the party in Oyo State in collaboration with outside forces had sought to impose on the party ahead of the 2023 general elections. As such illegalities have always been, they will definitely fail.
“The stakeholders resolved to use every legal means to reclaim the mandate given to Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi and establish a party leadership that represents the wish of majority members of the party in Oyo State.“What we are witnessing is a temporary distraction that would test our commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law. We will not fail the test.
“There are attempts to exploit sentiment to rally support for the illegitimate Omodewu executive. We commend our members who have spurned the early morning visits and calls to woo and hoodwink them to support the illegitimate executive. The clandestine visit, calls and blackmail will continue. We are convinced that our history of commitment to democratic principles which have always been on display in Oyo State will make all such nefarious efforts come to nought.
“We implore all members of the party in the state to remain calm and law-abiding. Every legal means would be employed to return the party to the overwhelming majority of members who have expressed their preferred leadership through the democratic process enshrined in the Constitution of the party.”
Meanwhile, Omodewu, who was presented with a certificate as the recognized chairman of the party last week, on Monday Morning inaugurated the new party executive. The exercise at the party Secretariat in Oke-Ado Ibadan.
Omodewu urged members to embrace reconciliation as the APC is poised to take over from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the coming election.
He also assured that, though he belongs to the Ajimobi political bloc, he belongs to all forward-looking members of APC.
