Osun APC: Aggrieved members protest alleged imposition of candidate

They accused the State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola of allegedly imposing one Mr Olalekan Afolabi as the flag bearer of the party ahead of 2019 National Assembly election, vowing that the development may jeopardise the electoral fortune of the APC.

While insisting that credible primary election should be held to determine who will secure the ticket of the party, they called on the National Working Committee (NWC), of the party to reverse the imposition of the Afolabi in the interest of peace and justice.

 The protesters who marched through the major streets of Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun local government of Osun State, said concrete steps must be taken to create an enabling atmosphere for the success of the APC during the 2019 general elections.

Displaying placards with various inscriptions including “We say no to imposition,” “Afolabi is a member of ADP and not APC,” “we want primary election in our federal constituency,” the party will fail if this imposition should stand,” “Mosadek is the best person for the job,” and “Afolabi has not decamped from ADP to APC.” They called for the fresh conduct of primary election in the federal constituency.

The protesters who were members of the Mosadek Vanguard, a group within the APC in the state, contended that  the only way for the APC to win the House of Representatives election in the federal constituency was to present the most popular and acceptable candidate whom they say is Alhaji Moshood  Oluawo, saying that he has the majority of supporters in the

federal constituency.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, a former chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Mr Adebisi Gbolagade said the choice of Afolabi as the party’s candidate would lead to failure for the APC in the election.

According to him, “the man imposed on us voted for the ADP in the last governorship election. He is not a member of the APC. He left APC for ADP before the last governorship election and he is yet to formally return to the party. Until Afolabi returns formally to the party, he will be considered as a member of the ADP.”