Politics
Congress: Photos of Gambo Lawan-led committee at Oyo APC secretariat surface
The October 30 state congress of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo state, is not yet over as claims and counter claims made by the leaders, stakeholders and the State Congress Committee Chairman, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, still trail the exercise.
Speaking on Monday, the State’s Congress Chairman, Lawan denied that four members of the committee, including, Mr Lanre Edun, Mallam Abdullai Kontagora, Mr Diran Iyantan and Chief Ralph Igbokwe, who allegedly opted out of the assignment based on unresolved controversy surrounding the alleged ‘fake delegates’ list’, earlier raised by the party secretariat and leaders in the state, were not on the list of members handed over to him in Abuja.
Lawan further claimed three other members joined the Secretary to conduct the Congress.
However, pictorial evidence obtained by Mega Icon Magazine on Monday revealed that the four members who had earlier distanced self from the said congress are authentic members of the Oyo State Congress Committee
The critical scanning of the pictures taken at the Stakeholders Meeting of the All Progressives Congress held at the party Secretariat in Ibadan , last Friday have confirmed that the four members who distanced themselves from the purported congress are authentic members of the committee.
In these pictures,the four members sat at the high table with the Chiarman of the committee,Gambo Lawan to meet stakeholders at the party secretariat, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
To the far left is Abubakar Abdullah in white. Next to him is Chief Ralph Igbokwe, Preace Chikelue,only female member in the team ; Gambo Lawan, the Chairman, Chief Akin Oke,Chairman of APC in Oyo State, Abdullai Bello,Secretary of the Congress Committee,Hon Diran Iyatan and Hon Olawale Edun.
Alh Gambo Lawan handing over the alleged fake delegates’ list to Oyo APC chairman, Chief Akin Oke on Friday at the Oke -Ado party secretariat, Ibadan
It will be recalled that the outgoing chairman of the party in the state, Chief Akin Oke and the stakeholders, had on Friday evening, , raised an alarm over the delegates’ list handed over to him by the Alhaji Gambo Lawan-led State’s Congress Committee, insisting that the said list do not reflect the results which emanated from the Ward and Local Government Congresses as done on July 31 and September 4, 2021 respectively.
State Congress Committee List obtained
The Oyo APC stakeholders, thereafter, appealed to the national leadership of the party to reconsider its decision on the state congress already scheduled for Saturday till an authentic delegates’ list is provided, just as they called on the leaders of the party to investigate and punish those responsible for the false list appropriately.
But, the Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, had earlier informed that he had directed his Secretary, Bello Abdulai to conduct the state congress since he was prevented from leaving his hotel for several hours, by unknown hoodlums alleged to be sponsored by some members of the party who did not want the congress to hold.
It was also gathered that four of the seven members in the State congress committee have allegedly opted out of the assignment and hurriedly returned to Abuja.
The four members , Mr Lanre Edun, Mallam Abdullai Kontagora, Mr Diran Iyantan and Chief Ralph Igbokwe, according to sources, had argued at a meeting of the committee Friday night that the protest against the delegates’ list presented at the Stakeholders meeting should not be dismissed if the party would be reconciled for the 2023
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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