Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state have kicked against the alleged falsified delegates’ list for the position of the state party’s executive, boycotting the state congress billed for Saturday.
The APC leaders, who stated this at a press conference held at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, also appealed to the national leadership of the party to postpone the state congress till an authentic delegates’ list is provided.
The press conference, had in attendance , former Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare, former senator Olufemi Lanlehin Olasunkanmi Tegbe, the 2019 flag bearer of the Party, Adebayo Adelabu, Fatai Ibikunle, former Oyo ALGON chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, Ex-Oyo SSG, Chief Sarafadeen Alli.
Federal lawmakers who attended the conference are Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Hon. Shadipe Tolulope, former Oyo Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olagunju Ojo, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, and Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN who was represented among other prominent stakeholders in the state.
They specifically alleged that a serving senator and a former governor are responsible for the falsification of the delegates’ list.
Speaking on behalf of other stakeholders, Sen. Adeseun alleged that some dubious people have inserted fake delegates into the list brought from Abuja, calling on the National secretariat to produce a transparent unadulterated delegates ‘ list for the congress.
“Some dubious people have inserted fake delegates into the list brought from Abuja.
“Normally, when you have written an examination, you need to get results to know if you pass or fail . We did the first congress, we did not get its result. We held the second one, no result. They kept them all. They brought them altogether to us yesterday (Friday) for us to hold the State Congress. When we got the delegates’ list, we observed the list they brought it is fake and falsified. False names are in the list. When we held previous congresses, everyone of us mobilized people for them. When there is competition, each will bring out his or her people to test strength. But when the delegates list came out yesterday (Friday), those who have no supporters or followers are there. But those who have followers, their names are not there. They now say we should use the list for the state congress. This is not possible. In this state congress, we have agreed to go for consensus, but some elements in the party, have falsified the delegates ‘ list, they are now saying they don’t want consensus anymore”, Adeseun said.
“There is no way we will use falsified delegates’ list for the state congress. If they use the falsified delegates’ list to hijack party structure, can they use the same approach to win in the general elections?”, he questioned.
The APC stakeholders, who noted that those who have attained such high positions should be trustworthy and reliable, however, expressed disappointment that they are the ones behind the falsified, adulterated and fake delegates’ list, insisting that “party members and leaders in Oyo State are vehemently kicking against using such delegates’ list to conduct the state congress”.
“We are using this medium to appeal to the national leadership of our party, the suffering in Oyo State is too much. We don’t want to suffer again. The only way the suffering will not continue is to allow our party to conduct election and win. Our party was in government for eight years and brought unprecedented developments to the state. But with this step they are taking, they are working towards the defeat of the party”, Adeseun said.
The former senator recalled, “In 2018, there was crisis in our party, and it was polarised. That polarization led to the victory of the ruling party in Oyo State. Residents of the state are not happy with the current government.
“We now came together and decided to elect our party officers transparently but the former governor and the serving senator don’t want it that way.
“They should bring out the authentic list of ward and local government congresses. They should bring them out. If they do, we are ready for the congress. We cannot hold congress with falsified delegates’ list”, the leaders insisted.
The Oyo APC leaders, therefore called on the national leaders of the party to investigate and punish those responsible for the false list appropriately.
“The fact that in the past we never allowed people to be disciplined is the reasons we have this challenge.
“Progressives don’t behave that way. These hardcore ultra-conservatives have infiltrated our group and they are bringing their culture of hijacking into our party. We don’t want that. If you cannot conform with decency, they should go back to where they came from”.
”Two, on the individual involved, these are the people you all know. That is their stock-in-trade. That is their style of politics.
“We were all prepared for the state congress until yesterday morning (Friday) where the panel from Abuja came. We have been clamouring for the release of delegates’ list. In fact, many of us went to Abuja last week on this same issue to say you cannot have a congress where we don’t have delegates’ list. They promised to do something about it. And now the list came yesterday (Friday) and when opened it is just contraband.
“We are very confident that the top leadership of the party is probably not aware of what some people did around offices. So, when we put this one out and let the world see, we are confident that they would correct the anomaly.
“The state chairman of the party, issued a release yesterday (Friday). He is the custodian of the original. He knew what went to Abuja. He compared the copy he sent to Abuja with what came yesterday (Friday), shockingly, the list was falsified. We should suspend anything about the congress for now until we resolve that problem. So, if some people gather somewhere, they are just organizing a birthday party. If it is something that has to do with this party, unless we see a good, transparent, verified and verifiable list of delegates, there will be no congress”, they concluded.
