Politics
Controversy trails emergence of Omodewu as Oyo APC chairman
Saturday’s state congress of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo state, which ratified the emergence of a former Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Survey, Mr. Isaac Omodewu as the party chairman in the state, has thrown up major controversy.
The outgoing Chairman of the Party, Chief Akin Oke, 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.
Oke further questioned Gambo, where and how the results handed over to him was generated?
“I have been bombarded by critical stakeholders and members of the party across the state over the authenticity of the result. I have communicated the reaction of party members to the leadership of the APC in Abuja. I am also under immense pressure by members of the party over the fate of the party congress scheduled for tommorrow.
“As a responsible party leader, I wish to state categorically that the lists which were given to me this afternoon do not reflect the results which emanated from the Ward and Local Government Congresses as done on July 31 and September 4, 2021 respectively. To this end, I have no option but to call for an urgent meeting of stakeholders of the party for 9a.m tommorrow Saturday 30th October 2021 at the State Secretariat to determine what to do to manage the tension in the party and avert the orgy of bloodshed being threatened by most members of the party across the state”, he said.
Meanwhile, the emergency meeting could not hold as planned, attributing its failure to security reasons.
Also, corroborating the outgoing chairman’s submissions, some prominent leaders and stakeholders of the party in Oyo state, on Saturday, alleged manipulation of the delegates’ list to the congress.
The stakeholders, including the Minister of Youths and a Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission, Professor Adeolu Akande, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Chief Niyi Akintola who was represented, the 2019 Governorship flag bearer for the state, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, Ex-SSG Sharafadeen Alli, Dr Azeez Adeduntan and Joseph Tegbe.
Some of the federal lawmakers in attendance include, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, Mrs Tolulope Shadipe, former Oyo Assembly Speaker, Mr Olagunju Ojo, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye.
Other leaders who converged at Premier Hotel Ibadan for a press conference are Fatai Ibikunle, Niyi Adeagbo, Mrs Folake Oshinowo, Gbenga Olayemi, Kola Olabiyi, Wasiu Owolabi, Ambali Abiodun and Olalekan Kazeem among others.
The Oyo APC stakeholders called on the national secretariat and leaders of the party to investigate and punish those responsible for the false list appropriately.
They, also appealed to the national leadership of the party to reconsider its decision on the state congress already billed for Saturday till an authentic delegates’ list is provided.
But, the Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Alhaji Gambo Lawan , informed that he had directed his Secretary, Bello Abdulai to conduct the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state 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.
The congress, which produced the Otu born politician in Itesiwaju local government area of the state, Omodewu, and new members of the state executive could not hold until around 5pm
“I didn’t come because hoodlums sponsored by miscreant elements barricaded my hotel and were shooting. So, the hoodlums were sponsored by politicians in Oyo State. It’s a pity that APC leaders can do this. Politics is about people trusting and electing you.
“Because of the situation, security people advised me to stay until they were able to clear the way but their actions did not subside. Fortunately, my secretary and one other officer already went out before they laid the siege. So they were asked to go and organise the congress. The national secretariat approved that the secretary do it. The delegation was also approved by me. So, it can’t be a nullity. It was legal and correct”, Gambo said.
The new Oyo APC chairman appealed to members of the party to put their grievances aside and unite to move the party to greater heights, urging them to allow peace reign and focus on how to win elections in 2023.
Omodewu thanked the leaders of the party for their support, promising to do his best to reconcile aggrieved members and reposition the party
However , for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo state, its nagging problem is daily panning out as crises without end, considering the latest development.
It was learnt that four of the seven members in the State congress committee have allegedly opted out of the assignment and hurriedly returned to Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to impeccable sources, the members sneaked out one after the other from the Jericho Apartment, Ibadan where they were lodged to head for Abuja enroute Lagos.
The four members included, Mr Lanre Edun, Mallam Abdullai Kontagora, Mr Diran Iyantan and Chief Ralph Igbokwe.
These committee members, as learnt, 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 elections.
“A member of the committee who spoke with party officials in Abuja explained that the number of gladiators and groups who have protested the controversial list are too numerous to be ignored.
“But the Chairman and Secretary are adamant that the congress must hold with the disputed list”, one of the sources disclosed.
The four members who reportedly expressed their worries over the adamance of the Chairman and Secretary walked out of the apartment and organised to be taken to Lagos from where they headed for Abuja.
One of the committee members, who did not want his name in print, confirmed that they had left the Chairman and Secretary in Ibadan as they could not afford to be part of the scam going on in Ibadan.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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