The National convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) might have come and gone with former Deputy Governor and Senator from Osun State, Iyiola Omisore emerging the National Secretary of the party. This position which was hitherto believed to have been zoned to Oyo state is still raising a lot of questions about what really happened and why the Pacesetter State failed to bring the coveted position to the State. In this report, Alaba Abdulrazak writes about the factors that many believe is responsible for what could be described as ‘poor’ political outing for the party at the national convention.
The National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which has been shifted a number of times before it was eventually held on March 26, saw the party settling for consensus candidates for virtually all the positions. However, the March 26 convention also saw the position of National Secretary of the party earlier believed to have been zoned to Oyo State going to Osun State. The development according to many political observers will not be good for Oyo APC that is still enmeshed in leadership crisis and also a party that has opposition party in power. To some other members of the party, the demise of former governors of the State-Senator Biola Ajimobi and Otunba Christopher Alao Akala contributed to the failure of the party in Oyo state to secure the position of National Secretary which had been reportedly zoned to the State before the convention.
OYO APC CRISIS
One of the factors believed to be responsible for Oyo APC ‘poor outing’ at the national convention of the party was the protracted crisis rocking the party. Warring factions in the party have at one time or other one the other engaged in war of words over leadership positions in the party.
Even when the former Governor of Oyo state, Otunba Christopher Alao Akala was still alive, factions disagreed over the harmonised executives list. The list which was released by the late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala-led Elders Advisory Committee and the seven zonal leaders authorised by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was rejected by a faction.
The election of Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu as the new state chairman was ratified by the harmonised group, while Alhaji Abass Olayide Masood for Ibarapa Central was also ratified as the deputy state chairman.
Moshood was said to be a loyalist of the late former Governor Lam Adesina. Omodewu came from the camp of late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The new State Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Olanite from Oyo East Local Council, was also ratified, while the Deputy State Secretary, Mrs. Monisola Tegbe from Ibadan North-East Local Council was said to have been nominated by Ladoja Group and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) members in Oyo State APC.
The state Treasurer, Alhaji Lekan Busari from Ido Local Council was claimed to have been nominated by Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN).
The list also claimed that the state Youth Leader, Aremu John Oyetunji, from Ogbomoso South, was nominated by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare, while the new Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Shadare from Egbeda Local Council was a nominee of the outgoing State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke.
The list then also had as State Auditor, Alhaji Lukuman Anwo from Afijio Local Council, who was said to be a nominee of Bimbo Kolade of the Ajimobi Legacy Forum and others.
The late Alao-Akala insisted then that the harmonised list had the authority of the CECPC and that any aggrieved member of Oyo APC should forward their petition to the national headquarters.
However, the former State Public Secretary of the party, Mr. AblulAzeez Olatunde, dismissed the list then as a figment of the imagination of those behind it.
He appealed to the CECPC to intervene in the crisis in Oyo chapter. He said Omodewu, for instance, was not the popular choice of the Oke-Ogun area but rather the favourite of those who perfected the list.
Also while reacting to a statement credited to Akintola that the national secretariat of the party in Abuja had no knowledge of his presence when the harmonised executives list was perfected, the state Congress Committee Chairman for Oyo, Gambo Lawan said considering the antecedents of Akintola, his outburst on him and others was nothing but a figment of his imagination, personal opinion and ploy to get undue recognition.
He said if Akintola and others have any complaint, they should go to the party’s headquarters in Abuja rather than spewing out lies.
While reacting, Akintola said he was unperturbed being called a liar and inconsequential politician because he is not one, adding that he had won election two times but Lawan has not.
THE DEATH OF SENATOR ABIOLA AJIMOBI AND OTUNBA CHRISTOPHER ALAO AKALA
Many political observers in the State believe that if Ajimobi and Akala were to be alive, the position of National Secretary of the Party would not have gone to Osun state. Since the death of the two powerful politicians in the state, there hasn’t been any politician with such political influence that can change the decision of leaders at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja. The sudden death of former governor of Oyo State, Chief Christopher Alao-Akala, to many observers must have altered political calculation and contest for the soul of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Until his death, the Ogbomosho-born politician was chairman of the Elders Advisory Council of Oyo APC and was believed to have been calling the shots in the party he joined after APC lost 2019 governorship election to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The new executive put in place by Alao-Akala has not been inaugurated due to plethora of petitions against the congress that produced them, investigation revealed.
Observers say the progressive tendency in APC may not be blamed for rebuffing Alao-Akala’s leadership because in the build up to the 2019 governorship election, the former governor left APC to the Action Democratic Party (ADP), where he contested for the office of governor alongside Prof. Abideen Olaiya as his running mate.
After the elections, Alao-Akala returned to APC and was later made the chairman of reconciliation committee of the party by the late governor Ajimobi.
SENATOR TESLIM FOLARIN IN APC
Investigations further revealed that the State APC has been in more crisis over the alleged attempt by PDP decampees, including Senator Teslim Folarin, often referred to as conservatives, to hijack the party structure from old members who see themselves as progressives.
The progressive elements have insisted that the minority conservatives should be stopped from bringing PDP style of politics to displace custodians of progressive politics in Oyo State.
A DAY TO NATIONAL CONVENTION, A NEW FACTION SWEARS IN CHAIRMAN IN OYO
An indication that all is not well in Oyo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), further emerged on Friday, a day to March 26 national convention, when another faction inaugurated its chairman, Abu Gbadamosi.
It would be recalled that last October, the state chapter of the party elected a former commissioner, Ajiboye Omodewu as Chairman, but some party members were not happy with the choice.
OYO APC ENDED WITH MINOR POSITIONS AT NATIONAL CONVENTION
While many had expected the position of National Secretary of APC to come to Oyo state, the party ended up with minor positions of Deputy National Auditor: Olufemi Egbedeyi, Zonal Legal Adviser (South-West): Ismail Kolawole Majoro and Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (South West): Mashood Erubami (Oyo State).
