Oyo APC chairman reiterates commitment to peaceful congresses, receives award from ex-councillors

The chairman of the caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Akin Oke, has reiterated the commitment of his leadership to the successful conduct of the forthcoming nationwide congresses of the party in order to put the party on a sound footing ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Chief Oke stated this on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by members of the Oyo State APC Councillors Forum to the state secretariat of the party in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

The forum’s members, led by their coordinator, Mr Adesoji Adesokan, said the purpose of the visit was to formally register their gratitude for the role played by the party in the successful prosecution of the litigation that arose from their sack from office by Governor Seyi Makinde upon his assumption of office on May 29, 2019.

Adesokan said the success recorded at the Supreme Court on May 7, 2021 could not have been possible without the support of the likes of the immediate past governor of the state, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Chief Akin Oke and other leaders of the party.

He said: “It is worthy of note that the Akin Oke-led State Executive Committee did everything to encourage our legal team and other key players throughout the time which the litigation lasted.

“As faces of the APC at the grassroots level, we have come today to validate the popular rating of Chief Akin Oke and his team of State Exco as the best thing to have happened to any political party in the history of democracy and public administration in the country.

“Apart from our victory at the apex court which was facilitated by the state leadership of the party, another unprecedented feat recorded in the construction of an edifice which now serves as our new state secretariat is something we are proud of.

“It is on this premise that we have come here today to present an award plaque in recognition and appreciation of the lasting legacy being erected by our father, Chief Akin Oke, and his wonderful team of party exco.

“We appeal to Baba Oke and other leaders not to rest on their oars as we call on them to mobilise resources and ensure that our party emerges from the forthcoming congresses without any rancour or crisis.”

In his response, Chief Oke thanked the former councillors for their thoughtfulness and sense of gratitude.

He said: “Without mincing words, we recognise you all as an integral part of the party in the state and we can assure you that you would always get the right treatment.

“However, I urge you to go back to your respective wards and start mobilising members of the public who are registered voters ahead of the 2023 general election.”