To rejoin the All Progressives Congress, APC, and work for the success of Oloye Adebayo Adelabu in this week’s governorship election, the leadership of the Unity Forum, the breakaway faction of the party in Oyo State, has given some conditions, OYO INSIGHT had gathered.
Unity Forum, majorly loyalists of the former governor Lamidi Adesina (Lamists) had pulled out of the party, in May 2018, owing to irreconcilable disagreement that arose during the party’s Congress.
Five House of Representatives’ members and two senators left the APC.
At a meeting at the Bourdillon home of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the representatives were divided over whether or not to work with outgoing governor Abiola Ajimobi who lost his bid to represent the people of Oyo South senatorial district for the second time.
Tinubu has been meeting people following the governor’s failed senatorial bid, and especially in order to brighten the chances of Adelabu.
The 12-man committee led by a former aide of late former governor Lamidi Adesina queried what Tinubu was looking when crisis rocked the party last year.
Sources told OYO INSIGHT that Tinubu had, after pleading with the guests, told them that he and other thought Ajimobi was in charge but now that it is obvious, their help is needed.
“We know Ajimobi cannot lead. That is why we told him to do away with party for now campaign till after election,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
To work for Adelabu and the APC in the governorship election, the visitors demanded for dissolution of state executives from ward to state levels and equal distribution of political appointments.
They also demanded the sum of N1 billion to prosecute the election to which Tinubu reduced it to half. They were later given N25 million as ‘gift’, said the sources.
