More facts emerged yesterday why the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) postponed Saturday’s state congress in Oyo State.
A source within the party said the development might have compelled the party leadership to recall the Oyo State congress committee to Abuja following the alleged indictment of the committee’s secretary in the reason adduced for the cancellation of the exercise.
Besides the fact that the stakeholders in Oke Ogun 1, where the state’s chairmanship slot was zoned, could not agree on who to present as of Saturday, it was also gathered that the CECPC might recompose another state congress committee to conduct the yet to be rescheduled congress.
However, there are conflicting reports that the CECPC has given, not less than a week, for the Oyo State chapter to put its house together for the congress to hold while other tendencies told The Guardian that the postponement was indefinite and nothing has since be said about it by the national headquarters.
Meanwhile, Some of the groups in the state’s chapter, including Unity Forum, Ajimobi Legacy Forum (ALF), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as well as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2019 poll, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, have jointly called on the Governor Mai Mala-Buni led CECPC to release the authentic results of the last ward and local government congresses held in the state.
This was contained in a statement signed on behalf of the groups by Senator Ayoade Adeseun; former Minister for Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu and Senator Soji Akanbi for the Unity Forum; former Secretary to the State Government under the Ajimobi Administration, Chairman of ALF, Chief Kunle Sanda for the ALF, former Secretary to the Government of Senator Rasidi Ladoja, Alhaji Sarafa Ali and Mr Bimbo Adepoju for the ZLP as well as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2019 elections, Adelabu among others.
They urged party members to remain calm over the postponement of the state congress just as they pleaded with the CECPC to ease the tension among members by releasing the authentic result of the congresses.
The group also expressed their support for the decision of the party to elect its state officers through consensus and zoning of the offices to the zones.
They said: “We are respectfully calling on the National Secretariat of the party to release the authentic result of the ward and local government congresses. The outcome of the congresses have been subject of allegations and counter-allegations and it was high time we lay the matter to rest.
“The party stakeholders at a meeting in Lafia Hotel resolved that ward officers would be elected by consensus. This was achieved in most local governents although the result is yet to be made public. The consensus approach was also adopted for the local government congress whose result is yet to be released. This has created a lot of speculations within the party. The postponement of the state congress has further created further worries in the party.”
While expressing their support for the consensus approach for the election of the party officers, the groups said, “The preference of the party leadership under Governor Mai Bala Buni for a consensus approach to elect officers has encouraged the tendencies in the party in Oyo State to come together. So far,three of the four tendencies are working together to restore the party to its old glory in the state.
“We call on the leadership of the party to encourage this process by releasing the authentic result of the congresses held at the ward and local government levels which were successfully executed through the consensus approach.”
Some of the other members of the three tendencies include Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Senator Adesoji Akanbi, Alhaji Abdulraman Adebayo Shittu, former Minister for Communications; RT HON Gunju Ojo, former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Olagunju Ojo; Alhaji Waheed Olajide, former Secretary to the Government of Oyo State; Barrister Michael Lana, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Oyo State; Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman, Nigerian Lotteries Commission; Dr. Ismail Adewusi, Post Master-General of the Federation; Professor Adeolu Akande, Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Zach Adelabu Adedeji,Secretary,Nigeria Sugar Development Commission; , Hon.Gbenga Olayemi, former Chairman, Oyo State Youth Development Agency and Hon Yekini Popoola; former Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen of Oyo State, (ALGON), Hon Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, forner Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi; Deputy State Chairmen (APC) Chief Goke Oyetunji,Vice Chairman (APC)Oyo State.
Source: Guardian.ng
