Mass defection imminent in Oyo APC over Oyegun’s NWC decision

There are expressed fears that the worsened crisis in Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) may result in some aggrieved members dumping the ruling party in the coming days.

There has been a running battle between members of the party loyal to Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the Unity Forum faction, who are loyal to the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu.

The situation apparently got worsened on Monday after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC led by its national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, recognised the state congress by Governor Ajimobi’s faction and accepted the candidate of the group, Chief Akin Oke, as the state chairman of the party.

Oke was one of the state chairmen the APC NWC swore-in in Abuja. The development has got members of the Unity Forum fuming, which they have vowed never to accept.

Apart from Shittu, other members of the Unity Forum include Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; a member of the House of Representatives, Dapo Lam-Adesina; governorship aspirant in the party, Prof Adeolu Akande; former council chairman, Wasiu Olatunbosun; former Secretary to Oyo State Government and Chairman, Elders Caucus of APC.

Rising from a meeting of the forum on Tuesday, the group said in a communiqué signed by its secretary, Wasiu Olatunbosun, and other leaders of the forum, that they would never be part of a reconciliation arrangement of Ajimobi, which according to them is ridiculous and laughable.

“The effort is ridiculous and laughable. Governor Ajimobi is the problem of APC in Oyo State. How can a problem be the solution? An issue in the crisis is the anti-democratic conduct of the governor in the party. 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 an 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.

READ ALSO: PRESIDENTIAL AIDE TO SENATORS: You were rejects until you rode on Buhari’s back to Senate

“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 his own risk,” the communiqué said.

The group hinted that it has already gone to court to challenge the position of the NWC and recognition of Oke as chairman.

Insinuations are that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo instructed the NWC to swear in Oke.

Meanwhile, information gathered is that some members of the Unity Forum will rather defect to another party than accept Oke as the state chairman of the APC.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now