A fresh crisis is currently brewing within the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state over the nomination of the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the March 9th election, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, for a ministerial slot.
DAILY POST recalls that the party’s chairmen from the 33 local government areas in the state had last week, during a meeting with Adelabu, urged the party leadership at the national level to consider Mr. Adelabu for a ministerial position.
But, a group within the party known as, “Reformers”, while reacting, condemned the call by the party chairmen at the local government level to consider Adelabu for a ministerial slot and make him the state party leader.
It also called for the immediate dissolution of the party executives from the ward to state level to pave way for more popular and proactive executives to run the party affairs.
The group, in a statement signed Mr. Sulaimon Ramon, a copy of which was made available to DAILY POST on Tuesday, noted that the party lost the election due to the imposition of candidates, lack of internal democracy, internal wrangling and the highhandedness of the governor.
Ramon said, “We lost the election to imposition of candidates, lack of internal democracy, internal wrangling, high handedness by the governor and the incompetence of the party executive under Chief Akin Oke.
“What Oyo state APC needs now is a college of tested and patriotic party leaders under the leadership of a tested leader with credibility, sound knowledge of politics, grassroots mobilization, kindness and an army of loyal supporters. It is far from being a responsibility of a political greenhorn like Adelabu.”
The group accused the party chairmen of making the statement as a payback to the former governorship candidate after he released the buses used for the last election at their various local government areas to them.
It advised the chairmen to understand that the party is bigger than the greed and interest of each and every one of them, noting that “this was the way they hailed and shouted Sheu until Ajimobi led us to the present dungeon.”
The group, however, advised the national leadership of the party to note that with the statement credited to the party chairmen at the local government level, they have not learnt from the latest avoidable failure at the election and they are yet to retrace their steps for future success.
It called for the immediate dissolution of the party’s entire executive from the ward to the state to pave way for integration, harmonisation and a fresh democratic congress which will “usher in a pragmatic, populist and proactive executive.”
But, the APC Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Olatunde, when asked for comment, condemned the move by the group to cause division within the party.
Olatunde, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST, insisted that APC that won two out of three Senatorial seats and nine out of 14 House of Representatives seats cannot be seen as a failed party.
He said, “APC Oyo State condemn in its entirety all nebulous groups masquerading and parading itself as APC Faction in Oyo State is not known to the Party.
“That APC Oyo state lost Gubernatorial election defy all logic because APC Oyo state is proud of the achievements of Senator Abiola Ajimobi led government.
“That APC Oyo state won two out of three Senatorial seats and nine out of 14 House of Representatives seats cannot be seen as failure of the Party.
“Therefore, the so-called nebulous group should tell the world their antecedents in politics and their accomplishments in their private endeavours.”
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