The Unity Forum faction in the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State has distanced itself from the reconciliation committee set up by the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, on the post-congress crisis rocking the party in the state.
Against the planned harmonisation of executive positions in the party, the national headquarters of the party inaugurated Chief Akin Oke as the chairman of the party in the state.
Insight Oyo had reported how the party has been divided along the governor’s SENACO faction and Unity Forum which comprises supporters of late former governor Lamidi Adesina, defunct CPC and PDP members, ex-aides of the governor as well as those who are non-aligned.
The faction, in a statement by its secretary, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, and signed by a cross section of the elders of the party in the state, stated that Ajimobi is the problem of the party in the state and therefore cannot be the solution.
Ajimobi, had in a paid advertorial, announced his intention to set up a reconciliatory committee to reconcile warring factions of the party in the state.
The Unity Forum said Governor Ajimobi is not known for keeping promises and that the reconciliation effort will not yield any fruit. “Ajimobi is never known for keeping any promise. The entire political landscape of Oyo State and Ajimobi’s political career are littered with carcasses of victims of his deceit. His offer of reconciliation is a poisoned chalice that anyone will accept at his own peril. WE REJECT IT. We however wish to put it on record that in his typical shenanigan, he will parade some men of shady character before his kangaroo reconciliation panel and call them members of the Unity Forum. Whoever buys that fraud does so at its own risk, the statement stated.”
The statement stated further that the crisis in the party resulted from actions of the governor that it described as undemocratic, stating that the governor cannot therefore lead genuine reconciliation in the party.
“At issue in the crisis is the anti-democratic conduct of the governor in party matters. Examples include his decision not to follow the constitution of the party in the election of party candidates for the local government election; his unilateral handpicking of the party’s candidate in the last Ibarapa East House of Assembly bye-election which culminated in the disgraceful loss of the party and attempt to impose members of his minority SENACO as executives of the party at the ward, local and state levels. It is therefore ridiculous and laughable that such a character will expect that serious minded persons and group like the Unity Forum will take his kangaroo reconciliation with even a pinch of seriousness”, it stated.
The faction disclosed that it had approached the court to adjudicate in the conflict on the congress, maintaining that the supporters of the governor did not pay for nor collect nomination forms for the ward congress and therefore could not have validly elected delegates to the local and state congresses. It stated that it would be prejudicial to participate in Ajimobi’s kangaroo reconciliation when the matter is before the court.
The full text of the statement reads:
We Are Not Part Of Ajimobi’s Kangaroo Reconciliation – Unity Forum
We have been inundated with enquiries on the purported effort by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to set up a reconciliation committee on the crisis facing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
The effort is ridiculous and laughable. Governor Abiola Ajimobi is the problem of APC in Oyo State. How can a problem be the solution?
The issue in the crisis is the anti-democratic conduct of the governor in party members. Examples include his decision not to follow the constitution of the party in the election of party candidates for the local government election; his unilateral handpicking of the party’s candidate in the last bye-election for Ibarapa East House of Assembly member which culminated in the disgraceful loss of the party and attempt to impose members of his minority SENACO as executives of the party at the ward, local and state levels. It is therefore ridiculous and laughable that such a character will expect that serious minded persons and group like the Unity Forum will take his kangaroo reconciliation with even a pinch of seriousness.
Ajimobi is never known for keeping any promise. The entire political landscape of Oyo State and Ajimobi’s political career are littered with carcasses of victims of his deceit. His offer of reconciliation is a poisoned chalice that anyone will accept at his own peril. We reject it. We however wish to put it on record that in his typical shenanigan, he will parade some men of shady character before his kangaroo reconciliation panel and call them members of the Unity Forum. Whoever buys that fraud does so it its own risk.
In any case, we are already in court and as law abiding citizens of Nigeria, we shall not be engaged in any prejudicial activity.
We wish to thank our teeming supporters for their resolute position to defend internal party democracy. We plead with them to exercise patience in their overwhelming clamour for a change of political party to a truly progressive party that believes in rule of law and that will respect its own rules. We have no doubt that we shall get justice in the court.
Signed:
Wasiu Olatunbosun PhD
Secretary
Dr Busari Adebisi, former Secretary to Oyo State Government and Chairman, Elders Caucus of APC. Ibadan Zone
Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi, former Chairman, Teaching Service Commission of Oyo State and Chairman, Elders Caucus of APC, Oke Ogun Zone
Chief Michael Jolaoso, former UPN Commissioner for Works and Chairman, Elders Caucus of APC, Ibarapa Zone
Chief Isiaka Alimi, Deputy Chairman of the State Executive Committee of APC
Chief Goke Oyetunji, Senatorial Chairman, APC, Oyo North Senatorial Zone
Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Speaker
