Oyo APC crisis deepens as sports minister, national assembly members, others vow to challenge imposition in court

By ADEOLA BADRU

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo State took a turn for the worse on Wednesday, as major stakeholders unanimously rejected Isaac Omodewu as Chairman of the party in the state.

Arising from a joint meeting, leaders of the two major zones in the State, Ibadan Main City and Ibadan Outer City, made up of 11 out of the 33 local government areas in the state condemned the inauguration of Mr. Isaac Omodewu as the state chairman, adding that the congress that produced him was flawed and had earlier been rejected by the National Caretaker Committee of the party.

The leaders of the two zones also known as the Progressives Foundation Forum which has the largest voting population in the state said it aligned with the other five zonal leaders which had come up with a harmonised list.

They said in the harmonised list which was submitted to the National secretariat of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Adejare Gbadamosi was chairman while other positions had also been agreed upon on a zonal basis, during one of the several harmonisation meetings of the zonal leaders and other stakeholders in the party.

The two zones with a voting strength of about 57 percent are the most populous zones in Oyo State.

Earlier in the week, other major stakeholders of the party had also condemned the inauguration of Omodewu.

The aggrieved members of the party which included Minister for Youths and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare and former Minister for Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Senator Soji Akanbi, Senator Fatai Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2019 election, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman of the Nigeria Lotteries Regulatory Commission, Professor Adeolu Akande, Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Ismail Adewusi, Post Master General of the Federation, Hon Zach Adedeji Adelabu, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, Engr Joseph Tegbe, a gubernatorial aspirant, Dr Azeez Adedutan, former Commissioner of Health, and Hon. Wale Murphy Olatunji, Chairman, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), stated that the inauguration of Omodewu is a threat to the party in Oyo State as the enthronement of a minority group on a majority cannot stand.

“It will only lead the party to electoral disaster in Oyo State,” they warned.

The stakeholders said there was no congress on which Omodewu could be returned as state Chairman, wondering the basis on which the National Secretariat could have issued Omodewu with a “Certificate of Return.”

They vowed to use every legal means to return the party to the majority of its members who overwhelmingly returned Alhaji Abubakar Adejare Gbadamosi as State Chairman of the party.

“The detail of what transpired on the purported State Congress of the party in Oyo State is an open book. At the stakeholders meeting held at the National Secretariat on November 4, 2021, the National Secretary declared that the purported Congress conducted on October 30 at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan “was held in error” and without the knowledge nor approval of the National Chairman of the party.”

“He apologized to members for the error and the meeting resolved to complete the Consensus election of a State Chairman which had produced Alhaji Gbadamosi as State Chairman.”

“The purported return of Omodewu is the climax of a reign of impunity which a tiny and minority section of the party in Oyo State in collaboration with outside forces had sought to impose on the party ahead of the 2023 general elections. As such illegalities have always been, it will definitely fail.”

“The stakeholders resolved to use every legal means to reclaim the mandate given to Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi-led State Executive and establish a party leadership that represents the wish of majority members of the party in Oyo State.”

“What we are witnessing is a temporary distraction that would test our commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law. We will not fail the test.”

“There are attempts to exploit sentiment to rally support for the illegitimate Omodewu executive. We commend our members who have spurned the early morning visits and calls to woo and hoodwink them to support the illegitimate executive.”

“The clandestine visit, calls and blackmail will continue. We are convinced that our history of commitment to democratic principles which have always been on display in Oyo State will make all such nefarious efforts come to nought.”

“We implore all members of the party in the state to remain calm and law-abiding. Every legal means would be employed to return the party to the overwhelming majority of members who have expressed their preferred leadership through the democratic process enshrined in the Constitution of the party.” (Saturday Vanguard)