STATE CONGRESS: OYO APC STAKEHOLDERS RELY ON AKALA, OKE OTHERS TO PRODUCE ZONING

STATE CONGRESS: OYO APC STAKEHOLDERS RELY ON AKALA, OKE OTHERS TO PRODUCE ZONING

As the All Progressives Congress in Oyo state prepares to stage its State Congress this Saturday in accordance to the schedule and guideline released for the party’s ongoing nationwide Congresses, stakeholders of the opposition party have resolved that some leaders including former governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, caretaker Chairman, Chief Akin Oke and seven others should be left with the task of producing a final document capable of accomodating all interest in two days.

The Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary and Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had rescheduled the nationwide state congresses in about 34 states, including Oyo, to October 16, 2021 after it announced that the October 2 date earlier picked was not realistic since it fell into the period when Nigeria was to celebrate its 61st independence anniversary.

At a stakeholders meeting held on Monday at its Oke-Ado, Ibadan new state Secretariat, leaders and stalwarts of Oyo APC resolved that it was expedient for all gladiators and party faithful to go into the state congress this Saturday as a united and formidable team of democrats if their desire to record a huge success in the 2023 general election was to be realized.

In his welcome address, the caretaker Chairman of Oyo APC, Chief Akin Oke, expressed gratitude to all party leaders and members who had supported the outgoing State Executive Committee since the inception. He also urged them to eschew bitterness and individual interest with a view to working together to make the party more united and formidable ahead of the next general election.

His words; “On behalf of myself and other members of the State Caretaker Committee of Oyo APC, I use this opportunity to thank all of you for being there for us at all times. As we plan to conduct another State Congress this Saturday, I urge you all to be more resolute in embarking on only activities capable of helping our progressive party to reclaim power in 2023.”

Chief Oke later read out what he called a draft document suggesting the new Zoning arrangement for the emergence of new set of State Executive Committee of the party. According to him, the document was carefully drafted to guarantee equitable and fair distribution of available executive positions among all the seven geopolitical zones and local government areas in the state.

Reacting to the chairman’s address, Sen. Ayoade Adeseun and Oloye Sarafadeen Alli called for the adoption of the document but this was motion was opposed by the Chief Wale Ohu, Hon. Abiodun Adigun-Hammed and Chief Kazeem Raji. The trio argued that the new document was produced without any recourse to the Elders’ Advisory Council and members of the State Working Committee of the party but this was immediately laid to rest by former Head of Service, Mrs. Olawumi Ogunesan who suggested that a team of zonal party leaders should meet with Chief Alao-Akala to resolve the issue permanently.

Some of the leaders and chieftains who attended the meeting are; Hon. Segun Odebunmi, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Hon. Shina Abiola- Peller, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chief Timothy Jolaoso, Chief Samuel Adekola, Alh. Bashiru Ajibade, Chief Abu Gbadamosi, Chief C. A Ajibade, Chief Kunle Sanda, Mogaji Banji Olorode, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape, Hon. Olatunbosun Oladele, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, Engr. Idris Adeoye, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, Hon. Abisoye Fagade, Hon. Afeez Bolaji Repete Ambassador Asimiyu Olaniyi, Alh. Babatunde Asunmo among others.