Politics
2023: ‘Don’t destabilize your party’, Oyo APC non-align movement cautions Unity Forum, others
A group, APC Non Align Movement has cautioned the Unity Forum not to constitute itself as agent of destabilization of the unity and progress of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
This was made known in a reaction to the statement issued by the Unity Forum claiming that it was not consulted in the constitution of the zoning committee set up by the Elders’ Advisory Committee ahead of the state congress of the party.
In a release signed by its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Hon. Biodun Jonathan Oladejo and made available to journalists, the group said it was surprised and taken aback by the behaviour and dastard acts of a number of groups within the party on the purported zoning committee put in place by the Party’s Elders Advisory Committee headed by Ex-Governor, Adebayo Alao Akala.
It would be recalled that the nine-man adhoc committee was recently inaugurated to work on the modalities of arranging positions into the three senatorial districts with the aim of having a seamless State Congress scheduled for 16th of October, 2021.
The Adhoc Committee was established with a lifespan to terminate immediately after the zoning is made and popularly accepted.
According to the group, “what is more annoying is that a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who hails from Ogbomoso, the same home state of the Advisory Committee Chairman could be claiming that critical stakeholders were not duly consulted before the decision to inaugurate the adhoc committee was taken while others who are yet to openly associate with the party were consulted.”
“His case must have been that he’s too far from not only the party but his people. The said minister until his appointment never attended any party meeting either in Ogbomoso or the state capital which reflects his indigene-ship by diaspora.
“While the case of the Unity Forum could not be left unattended too, though not a genuine complaint as they claim, two of their leaders were actually listed in the nine-man adhoc committee. The awkward intent of the Unity Forum is to have a sharing formula of 50-50 right from on set as against the Lafia hotel stakeholders generally accepted participation from the ward levels. In this case of State exco congress, what grouse should they have participating in populating a consensus list from their respective zones into the senatorial districts and aggregation at the state? This exercise should make them warm up harmoniously with other recognized stakeholders and elders in their respective zones and senatorial districts. Politics is local.
“The proposal of a 36-man committee as highlighted in their press release could be referred to as a hungry man policy while the various legacy parties that came together as APC and other joiners are more than five in number. How come the Unity Forum which is just a group within the party claims majority and seek 50% sharing formula? Do we need to remind them that they left the party in 2019 and some of them returned after election without winning any polling unit even when they were together? The results of the last general election speak for itself”, the statement said.
It continued, “The nine-man Adhoc committee should as a matter of fact go ahead with the zoning arrangement which should be into senatorial districts ONLY while the stakeholders in each district should work on micro zoning into zones and down to the local government areas. This gives all strata of leadership sense of belonging as the leaders of each LGAs decides on each nominee to zoned positions.
“The committee should also note that their work could be rejected if they go beyond their terms of reference and they must be time conscious as we do not have the luxury of time.
The group also implored the Unity forum and other similar groups to move into their constituencies and work in consensus arrangement as the wish of the party in each Local Government Area because there can never be any percentage sharing formula. Enough is enough, we move”, the statement concluded.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
The House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency Oyo State, Hon. Prince Akinmoyede Olafisoye Wasiu has initiated another skill acquisition and capacity-building training for no fewer than 300 members of his constituency.
The initiative which is being organized in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan is part of a strategic effort by the lawmaker to foster rural development of cooperative for their economic emancipation and break the shackles of poverty so as to alleviate the impact of the high cost of living among the people in Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency he represents.
The training programme is coming up on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Faith Joe Event Centre hall. Alegongo, Ibadan by 8.00am.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the lawmaker, Alimi Abdullahi stated that the capacity-building is designed to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial skills with a view to building sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of lives of the people of Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency.
All the participants for the training are expected to be at the venue by 8am so as not to miss any part of the training.
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