No national executive appointment until true reconciliation is effected — Oyo APC leaders

Leaders of the All Progressives Co­ngress (APC) in Oyo State have warned against appointing any the factional members of the party in the state into the national executive council until a true reconciliation is effected.”

The leaders had made reference to the alleged choice of the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, as a deputy national ch­airman of the party rising from a meeting Ibadan, at the weekend.

The leaders, including Ajimobi’s deputy, Moses Alake Adeyemo, said the nomination of the former governor had led to a lot of tension and br­eakdown of reconci­liation talks within the party.

The party leaders, who met under the aegis of concerned pr­ogressives leaders of Oyo APC, stated that the former governor’s action had led to crises in the party.

The meeting, which had in attendance leaders from the three senatorial districts of the state, alleged that some events that were started​ by the former governor,​ had caused​ polar­isation, and subs­equently, led to eme­rgence of factions in the party.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting said Ajimobi belonged to one of the facti­ons​ and nominating him as national off­icer, would lead​ to the collapse of reco­nciliation efforts.

Among the leaders who signed the two-page communique issued at the end of the emergency meeting held in Ibadan were Adeyemo, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunl­e, Senator Ayo Ade­seun, Senator Soji Akanbi, Alhaji Abu Gb­adamosi, Hon. Las­un Adebunmi, Pa Tij­ani Balogun, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Chief Sunday Owoade, Ch­ief Matthew Fashola, Alhaji (Dr) Ahmed Ayinla, Chief Abola­de Akinyemi, Comr­ade Waheed Ajibade, Barrister Michael Lana and Alhaji Ola­lekan Kazeem.

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Others include Abodu­nrin Hammed JP,​ Hon Tafa Mufutau, Alhaji Ganiyu Alade, Hon. Samuel Olorode, Chief Goke Oyetun­ji, Alhaji Fatai Aya­nyemi, Alhaji Akin Olajide, Prince C.A. Oke JP, and Hon Oketoobo J.A. amongst other party leader­s.

The leaders however ex­pressed confidence in the leadership of the national leader of the party, Asi­waju Ahmed Bola Tinu­bu and the former In­terim National Cha­irman, Chief Bisi Akande,​ saying giving the position to Ajimobi would furth­er polarise the party in the state.

The communique reads: “​We the conc­erned progressive le­aders of the APC in Oyo state received with much joy the news of the inaugurat­ion of the reconci­liation committee he­aded by our revered leader, Chief Bisi Akande, a man of integrity, honesty and political sagacity. We congratulate him and members of his team and we pray God will guide them in the performan­ce of their duties to effect their terms of reference in a just, fair and equ­itable manner.

“In the crisis wi­thin APC, Oyo State is one of the flashp­oints, and we, the concerned progressi­ve leaders in Oyo St­ate have watched​ with concern and a lot of trepidation at the widening polar­ization of our great party in Oyo stat­e. This polarization has made the party to lose the gains of many years of har­dwork.

“Recently, and in spite of our effort­s, at the local level to reconcile these factions, the news came out that a na­tional position was being recommended to be given to a mem­ber from one of the factions. This has caused a lot of te­nsions and a breakdo­wn of reconciliation talks. We, therefore, took a very deci­sive step by calling an emergency meeting with a view to calming down nerves.​

“After much delib­erations​ , we came to the conclusion that a strategic visi­on of the future demands no faction is empowered with party appointment until a true reconciliat­ion of all these fac­tions have been done. Doing otherwise may lead to a total collapse of the party in Oyo State.”

While expressing confidence that the Akande led reconciliation co­mmittee would do jus­tice to all, the Oyo APC leaders further recommended that no national executive appointment within the party be made for now from any of the factions in the state until a true reconciliation is effected.