Oyo: Unity Forum dissociates self from ‘Akala/Folarin’ zoning committee

The Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has dissociated itself from the purported zoning committee set up by a group within the party which calls itself an Advisory Committee.

In a statement issued in Ibadan, on Wednesday, by a former Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, alleged that the group was not consulted in the constitution of the committee, noting that it is a fraudulent plot by a minority group within the APC to impose itself on the overwhelming majority of members of the party.

The Unity Forum called on members of the party in the state to ignore this new scheme by the largely alleged PDP elements in the state APC to hijack the party in the tradition of the party from which they recently joined the APC.

Members of the Unity Forum included , Sen. Ayo Adeseun,Sen. Femi Lanlehin, Sen. Soji Akanbi, former Deputy Governor, Otunba Alake Adeyemo, Chief Abu Gbadamosi, Alhaji Fatsi Ibikunle, Prof. Adeolu Akande, former State Deputy Chsirman of the party, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, former Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Goke Oyetunji among others.

The group also condemned the lack of good faith on the part of former Governor Adebayo Alao Akala on the quest by party members to have  one united state congress on October 16.

According to the group, the former governor only confirmed the justification for the reservation of most members of the party about the PDP group when the idea of a unity congress was muted.

“On Wednesday September 29,2021 a three-man delegation of the Unity Forum met with Governor Akala on  the need for a single state congress. Governor Akala agreed on the need for a critical stakeholders meeting.  It was agreed that both sides should generate 13 names for the congress. He indeed sent the list of 13 nominees and consultations were on for the remaining 13 nominees when suddenly there was news of the constitution of a 9- man zoning committee”, the statement said.

It continued , “the committee has at least five known supporters of a serving Senator and gubernatorial aspirant, including the Chairman and Secretary of the committee. The list only had two nominees from the Unity Forum even when it is public knowledge that the Unity Forum controls majority of party members. To make matters worse, the nominees from Unity Forum were selected by the PDP group without recourse to the Unity Forum.

“There is enough evidence of bad faith in the composition of the 9-man committee. We call on the leadership of the APC at the national level to be watchful of the PDP elements in the APC who appear hellbent on destroying the progressives party in Oyo State”.