The Oyo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has a new chairman. He is Dr Hameed Ayinla from Igbeti area of Olorunsogo local government area of Okeogun political zone of the state.
Ayinla is a member of the Unity Forum, a breakaway faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.
For many days, party members were divided over which zone should produce the chairmanship of the party.
Majority, this newspaper gathered, preferred the chairman of the party to come from Okeogun part of the state. The Unity Forum who already had former deputy state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, in mind, became uncomfortable. Alimi is from Akinyele local government area of Oyo Central senatorial district.
At a congress alleged to be hurriedly organized, pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Michael Adegbite from Iwajowa local government area of Okeogun zone was announced as chairman of the party. This was after members of the Unity Forum had insisted on Alimi.
They later accused former governor Rashidi Ladoja and former secretary to the state government, Chief Michael Koleoso of trying to edge out members of the group.
Representatives of major stakeholders were later summoned to a meeting at the Abeokuta residence of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, where the issue was resolved. It was learnt that four out of the 5 groups that made up the party agreed that the chairmans should emerge from Okeogun.
Unity Forum was almost factionalized as some of its federal lawmakers almost defected to another party. Some people, including those who are not partisan, had to wade in. For more than 9 days, Unity Forum leaders had hectic time lobbying their members to accept the decision, to save the party and position it for the 2019 elections.
Sources told OYO INSIGHT that the emergence of Ayinla was arrived at after many marathon meetings. OYO INSIGHT was told that those who were initially unhappy with the decision are currently being talked into coming back.
