Alao-Akala not Oyo APC leader but advisory council chair ― Fayemi

Amid crisis over the current role of former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in the Oyo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), member of the National Reconciliation Committee of the APC, Governor Kayode Fayemi has said that Alao-Akala is Chairman of the Oyo APC’s advisory council and not the leader of the party.

It had been all fuzzy since after Sunday’s peace meeting held at Fayemi’s residence in Ibadan, over whether Alao Akala emerged Chairman of the party’s advisory council, elders’ council or leader of the party in the state.

In attempting to give clarity to varied reports on Sunday’s meeting, Fayemi, through his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, said at no time during or after the meeting was a leader foisted on Oyo APC.

Fayemi’s statement on Wednesday comes on the heels of the Unity Forum’s rejection of Alao-Akala purportedly assuming the role of leader of the Oyo APC.

According to Fayemi, the former governor emerged as Chairman of the Party’s Advisory Council with others like former deputy governors, Iyiola Oladokun and Alake Adeyemo and the party Chairman, Akin Oke as members.

According to Fayemi, Alao-Akala and the three others emerged as automatic members by virtue of being the highest elected officeholders in the party.

The committee, according to Fayemi, was nominated to help oversee the activities of the party through registration.

He added that other Senatorial districts, that is, Oyo South and Oyo Central were then mandated to nominate three members each on the advisory council.

The statement read, “Governor Kayode Fayemi was on an assignment on behalf of the National Reconciliation Committee of the APC in charge of the Oyo State crisis.

“Governor Akala emerged as Chairman of the Party’s Advisory Council with other distinguished personalities like former Deputy Governors, Iyiola Oladokun and Alake Adeyemo together with the Party Chairman, Akin Oke as members.

“They emerged as automatic members by virtue of being the highest elected officeholders in the party.

“The main responsibility of the advisory committee is to help oversee the activities of the party through registration.

“At no point was any leader chosen at the Ibadan meeting.

“Governor Fayemi has reported back to the National Headquarters the outcome of the meeting of party stakeholders in Ibadan.

“Governor Fayemi was only a representative of the reconciliation committee. At no time at the meeting or thereafter was any leader foisted on the party.”

ALSO READ: Oyo APC crisis: Unity Forum rejects Alao Akala as leader

However, former Deputy Chairman of the Oyo APC, Mr Isiaka Alimi has accused Governor Kayode Fayemi of worsening the crisis in the party in Oyo state.

Alimi, in a statement in Ibadan on Wednesday, said the party was gradually returning to peace after the Abuja peace meeting but Fayemi’s introduction of extraneous consideration at last Sunday’s Ibadan meeting has worsened the crisis.

He held that Fayemi’s stance at the Ibadan meeting amounted to an attempt by Fayemi to hand over the party to PDP elements.

He warned that attempts to hand over the Oyo APC to Alao Akala will not only fail but spell doom for the APC in the state and nationally.

As a matter of urgency, Alimi called on the national leadership of the APC to call Fayemi to order so as not to destabilize the Oyo APC further.

“If you look at the people who he wants to hand over the party to like Otunba Alao Akala, Teslim Folarin, Fatai Buhari, they are all PDP elements. They have no progressive credentials. Why will he do that?

“There is no provision for the position of Leader in the Constitution of APC. How can you impose illegality on a political party?. Where there is no governor, the Party Chairman is the leader of the party. We are suspicious of the secret agenda that is driving this imposition of a leader. It is illegal and will only make the case of the party worse.

“Let Otunba Akala be the leader to the people coming with him into the party. He cannot be a leader to the people he met in the party. He was PDP governor, not a progressives governor.

“Since 2007, we have defeated him at every election in 2011,2015 and 2019. So what is he bringing that qualifies him to be a leader? They only want to hijack the APC for the PDP.”

“We cherish our progressives’ credentials and that is why we are comfortable with President Muhammadu Buhari. The attempt to hand over the APC to conservative elements will not work. Unfortunately, it has only worsened the crisis in the state chapter of APC”, Alimi said.

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