Ogun State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged aggrieved party leaders and members to embrace peace and exhaust internal mechanisms and due process before making their positions public, just as it cautioned them to “stop tagging the name of our revered leader, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to their protests.”
The party made the plea against the backdrop of recent media reports on comments credited to the senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Tolu Odebiyi, that group led by Aremo Osoba, who is former governor of the state and leader of APC, was not favoured in the commissioner-nominees’ list forwarded to the State House of Assembly by Governor Dapo Abiodun for screening and confirmation.
APC, in the statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, expressed disappointment with the comments on the ground that the distinguished senator “is a major stakeholder in the party and a beneficiary of the insistence on party supremacy by our party leaders, especially Aremo Segun Osoba and Prince Dapo Abiodun.”
“We also know for a fact that the distinguished senator has unfettered access to the governor and the party leadership of the state apart from being a member of the state caucus of the party, which is the highest level of decision making,” the party said.
The party, while pleading with party chieftains and members who felt aggrieved on recent appointments made in the state, assured that other appointments were still on the way and should, therefore, stop using Aremo Osoba’s name in their protest to gain attention.
According to the party, it is normal for members to complain and protest in a democracy, but said it was “unacceptable to dress such complaints or disagreements, even if genuine, in the toga of a group or a leader as anyone close to Aremo Osoba would confirm that he regularly warned and detested groupings within the party being “a father to all.”
“May we also use this opportunity to plead with few members who feel aggrieved on recent appointments that other appointments will still come. They should stop tagging the name of our revered leader, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to their protests.
ALSO READ: Lalong orders investigation into death of 6 in mining pit
“It is normal for members to complain and protest in a democracy but it could be unacceptable to dress such complaints or disagreements, even if genuine, in the toga of a group or a leader. Anyone close to Baba Osoba will confirm that our leader regularly warns and detests groupings within the party. Aremo Segun Osoba is our father and a father to all,” APC said.
“Chief Olusegun Osoba sacrificed dearly for the democracy we are enjoying in Nigeria today and only God saved his life from several attempts during the military era.
“He was also one of the people that God used as pillar of support for the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun as governor in Ogun State; he should, therefore, not be reduced to a state or sectional group leader. It’s very unfair,” it added.
“While recognizing the right to protest or express dissenting views, the party wishes to advise our members, especially our leaders, to lead by example and refrain from statements that could be misconstrued or cast the leadership of the party or government in bad light before the general public,” the party counselled.
and then