Politics
Oyo: Crossfire as Adeduntan, Adelabu groups spit fire over 2019 APC loss to PDP
A political group, the Adelabu Solidarity Group (ASG) has fired back at Dr Azeez Adeduntan, the immediate past Commissioner for Health in Oyo state, following a recent statement credited to him, calling the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 election, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu, a wrong Candidate.
The group, loyal to Adelabu has described the statement credited to Dr. Adeduntan as senseless and not expected from any reasonable person who had benefited from the party when APC was in control of the state.
Contained in a statement signed by Comrade Femi Awogboro on behalf of the group, he said Oloye Adelabu will not like to join issues with a political jobber like the former Commissioner for Health, saying it is pertinent for Adelabu Solidarity Group to respond to some of the remarks attributed to Dr. Adeduntan.
“If not for people like Dr Azeez Adeduntan who worked against the APC at the 2019 poll ,despite the hands of love extended to him and Some betrayers by Bayo Adelabu ,the party won’t have temporarily lost the seat of power in Oyo state.
“The former commissioner was quoted as saying, he facilitated one billion naira for Adeoyo Ring Road Hospital out of fifty billion naira which was expected and the self styled “World class Surgeon” bragged with impunity
“Oloye Adelabu who is a silent philanthropist that has contributed a lot to the pace setter state .The Technical University Ibadan, Oyo state ,Security Trust Fund, numerous scholarship awards among countless among others are what chief Adelabu has been shouldering without making needless noise”, the statement added.
Comrade Awogboro who is the Publicity Secretary of APC in Ibadan South East, also urged Dr Adeduntan to be mindful of his utterances in the public , especially on issues relating to the party and should apologise immediately for his misguided and malicious invectives against the respected Chief .
“What ought to be paramount in the mind of any committed member now is to work harmoniously through prayers and commitment to the party towards ensuring the victory of APC at the Appeal court, not making unnecessary and baseless remarks about the party and its leadership”.
Awogboro asked Dr Adeduntan to learn about APC’s ideology and stop tarnishing the image of the party and its real stalwarts, saying “his type of attitude and arrogance displayed by him (Dr Adeduntan) necessitated the then Labour Party to substitute his name prior to the 2011 Governorship elections”.
But, the Adeduntan Support Group (ASG) in a statement issued in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Monday described former Deputy Governor of Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) and the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adebayo Adelabu as a toddler who needs to enroll at the school of Oyo politics for him to excel in his future political endeavour.
The ASG in its reaction to a statement credited to Abiodun Awogboro of Adelabu Solidarity Group also said “the woeful outing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State during the 2019 general elections was due to the inability to unite and work with his major opponents who jostled with him for the party’s governorship ticket.”
“Adebayo Adelabu, the defeated candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
in the Oyo State governorship election started carrying himself like a governor-in-waiting from the moment he was imposed by Ajimobi as the governorship candidate at a kangaroo primary organized by Ajimobi on September 30th 2018
“Adelabu even after he lost the election passed several insults on the leaders of the party, blaming them for his loss in the election, and how he was involved in fisticuffs with an aide of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, his main allies who is also a Personal Assistant to the former governor at the Governor’s Oluyole residence.”
The group further advised Adelabu to place his failed ambition in the right perspective, saying the real reason for his thrashing is his aloofness to the party, it’s leaders, co- contestants, and his arrogance.
“On some of the issues raised by Awogboro in his statement, the group disclosed that one of the factors that caused the defeat of APC in the election was also some of the people used during the campaign who have no wherewithal to lead such sensitive and serious business just like Awogboro.
“Awogboro according to our findings is from Ekiti State, as a matter of fact chairman, of recently dissolved Yoruba Youth Council, Ekiti State chapter. In the past eight years with no serious means of survival except politics. He was formerly with Chief Femi Olaore, also a senatorial aspirant of APC and left when the latter can no longer trust him.”
“The said Awogboro who cannot be described as a professional journalist despite his Diploma certificate in Journalism from Institute of Journalism, Iyaganku, Ibadan due to his inability to be engaged by any media outfit can not be taken serious for whatever reason and his not qualified at all in any issues especially politics in Oyo state”.
The statement, however cautioned Adelabu and his team to engage only professionals in the pursuit of his political career and always warn his sympathisers in getting their facts right to avoid been sued in the court of law for libellous statements.
A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, has been sworn in as the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging members of the party to rally support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo formally assumed office on Friday following the inauguration of the newly elected State Executive Committee members who will manage the affairs of the party in the state for the next four years.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the party’s State Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, marked the climax of the party’s 2026 congresses in the state.
The South-West Zonal Legal Adviser of the APC, Kolawole Majaro, administered the oath of office on Adeyemo and 35 other members of the State Executive Committee.
The executives had emerged through a consensus arrangement during the March 3, 2026 state congress held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, under the supervision of a committee led by Amos Gombi from the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
In his acceptance speech, Adeyemo described his emergence as a renewed call to service, pledging to strengthen the party and sustain unity among members.
He appreciated party leaders within and outside the state for ensuring a smooth and successful congress process.
Adeyemo also commended members of the Local Organising Committee, particularly Fatai Ibikunle and Afeez Bolaji Repete, for their contributions to the success of the exercise.
He said, “This new State Executive Committee under my leadership is being put in place to add value and strengthen our great party in view of the challenges ahead.
“We have used the opportunity of the congresses to showcase our collective commitment to unity and harmony as progressives and democrats.”
The new chairman expressed optimism that the atmosphere of peace within the party would be sustained ahead of future party primaries and the 2027 elections.
According to him, the party’s target is to secure 90 per cent of the votes in Oyo State for President Tinubu while also reclaiming the state’s Government House in 2027.
Adeyemo praised the President’s leadership, saying the administration was delivering on its promises.
“President Tinubu is, no doubt, performing beyond our expectations and the best way to appreciate his good work is to retain him in Aso Rock until 2031,” he said.
“Against all odds, the President is pursuing his Renewed Hope Agenda with vigour and passion, while the positive results are being felt across sectors of the economy and national life.”
Other members of the newly inaugurated executive include Taofeek Lamidi as Deputy Chairman, Fatai Adesina as State Secretary, Adekemi Opatunde as Woman Leader, Olawale Sadare as Publicity Secretary, Olalekan Oladejo as Youth Leader, and Remi Adepoju as Organising Secretary.
Also inaugurated were Ajiboye Akinsanya as Treasurer, Sunday Aborisade as Legal Adviser, Tinuade Adigun as Auditor, Lukman Owonikoko as Assistant State Secretary, Fatimah Hassan as Deputy Woman Leader, and Jimoh Osundara as the Leader of Persons Living With Disabilities, among others.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and member representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the newly elected State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
The party, at its state congress held on Tuesday at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, elected a former Deputy Governor of the state, Moses Alake Adeyemo, as its new chairman alongside other state executive members.
Oseni, in a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, described Adeyemo’s emergence as well-deserved, noting that his experience and longstanding commitment to the party would further strengthen its structure in the state.
He said the peaceful conduct of the congress demonstrated the party’s commitment to internal democracy and progressive leadership.
The statement said, “I congratulate our newly elected State Chairman and leader, His Excellency, Moses Alake Adeyemo, and other members of the State Executive Committee on their emergence. This victory reflects the confidence reposed in them by party members across the state.”
Oseni further expressed confidence that the new leadership would reposition the party for greater cohesion and electoral success.
According to him, “This is a critical moment for our party in Oyo State. It calls for unity, reconciliation, and renewed commitment to the ideals that bind us together as progressives.”
The federal lawmaker assured the new executives of his support and cooperation in advancing the programmes of the party and strengthening its grassroots structures.
He urged party members to rally behind the new leadership to ensure stability and secure future victories for the APC in the state.
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