A strong member of Alao-Akala political dynasty, Laide Busari has lampooned the immediate past state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, Akin Oke for announcing an harmonised list of party executives, which declared Chief Abu Gbadamosi as State Chairman, saying the octogenarian lied against late former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
OYOINSIGHT.COM understands that hours the new chairman, Isaac Omodewu, inaugurated members of the state executive council of the party, the outgone party boss had released a list of ‘harmonised’ state and local government excos of the party.
According to Oke, the harmonised list of State Executive Committee members was what was endorsed and submitted by zonal leaders at the residence of the former governor, late Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala.
While reacting to the purported list, Busari described Oke as a blatant liar whose mission to destabilise Oyo APC, he said, has failed with the confirmation and inauguration of Omodewu as the state chairman of the party.
Busari clarified that only zoning meeting was held in Awosika residence of the late former governor.
“Chief Oke only attended zoning meeting in Akala’s House after his proposed zoning template was outrightly rejected by critical party stakeholders. Recall that the October 11th 2021 meeting of Oyo APC critical stakeholders resolved that Chief Akin Oke and zonal leaders meet with Alao-Akala-led advisory council to fine-tune the zoning formula. The resort to Alao-Akala for fine-tuning of the zoning proposal came after the stakeholders at the meeting argued that the Oke’s zoning draft was not a product of wide consultation with party members”.
“On 4th November 2021, APC CECPC mandated Otunba Alao-Akala to convene a meeting to verify if the October 30th state congress followed the approved zoning template. Instead of Chief Oke to join November 12th meeting called by Alao-Akala, he held a parallel meeting with members of Unity Forum at Oke-Ado State Secretariat of the party”.
“At the meeting at Akala’s residence were the Chairman of Oyo APC State Congress Appeal Panel Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Samuel Ogbuku, former deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Iyiola Oladokun; former speaker and serving minority leader of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Asimiyu Alarape; Pa Samuel Adekola, Pa Elegbede Sunday and members of Oyo APC Elders Advisory Council. Also observed the meeting were Gambo Lawan and Hon. Bello Abdullah who are Chairman and Secretary of Oyo APC State Congress Committee respectively.”
The meeting resolved that the October 30, 2021 State Congress of Oyo APC followed the zoning template approved on Monday October 11, 2021 by the leaders of the party. The resolution signed and submitted to Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC by Chief Ogbuku stated that all tendencies were carried along in the composition of new state executives.
“The controversies surrounding the October 30th 2021 state congress held at Liberty Stadium Ibadan was laid to rest on February 3rd, 2022 by the APC national secretariat with the inauguration of Omodewu. Oke’s release of a manufactured harmonised list of party executives is a public show of shame. It’s either senility is affecting Chief Oke or he is just hallucinating”.
“Chief Oke is in severe pains because he could not seek extension of his tenure through backdoor. I make bold to say that
Chief Oke lobbied Governor Buni to allow him to stay in office until after party’s primary elections in 2022 but the proposal was turned down. Having failed in Abuja, Oke’s paymasters monetarily induced some former party’s caretaker committee members to convene an illegal vote of confidence meeting”.
“After spending almost 12years as State Chairman of the party at the age of 84, Chief Oke is expected to commit himself to unite all gladiators of the party but instead, he has positioned himself as architect the crisis within the party”.
Busari urged teeming members of Oyo APC not be distracted by Oke’s “manufactured harmonised list of party executives, instead they should continue to give necessary support to Omodewu-led Oyo APC.”
He concluded his statement by warning Oke to stop lying against the dead and allow the late former governor to rest in peace.
