Follow Us on Google
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Osogbo
It is bound to be a battle of the titans as the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its primary election today. The soul of the party is being fought for between Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, and the fourth civilian governor of Osun State, and the current Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, who also doubles as his successor.
The earth is literally going to shake as supporters of Aregbesola, and Oyetola who is seeking for a re-election to which his predecessor is vehemently opposed seek to outdo each other at the polls. Already, Aregbesola has urged the party faithful in the state to come out in their thousands to ensure that his anointed candidate, Moshood Adeoti, emerges the party’s chosen one. But in a related development, a faction of the party loyal to him has raised the alarm over alleged plan by Oyetola to rig the election.
Its governorship aspirant of the party and the former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti who addressed a press conference in Osogbo yesterday faulted Governor Oyetola’s membership of the National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (NCECPC) of APC till date.
He said the governor’s failure to resign from the committee was as a result of his influence that he claimed was against the party’s constitution, adding that the governor would use the advantage over him in the primary election.
He said: “In the spirit of fair play, objectivity and natural justice, Governor Oyetola is not supposed to remain in the membership of the NCECPC. What we are witnessing is a case of a thief adjudicating in his own case. He can never convict himself. Governor Oyetola’s membership of the NCECPC is against the democratic norms. We dare say that this is capable of causing disquiet, more than we are facing in Osun APC now, if it is allowed to pass us by. We put on record, the fact that The Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of APC to which I belong, has not been availed with the membership register of the party, which will be the basis of voting. We put on record that there ought to have been display of party register, with claims and objections made before we go into voting.
“We recall that TOP had reported the abuse and manipulation to which the party’s register had been subjected to while being compiled by Governor Oyetola and his cabinet members. And this allegation was unattended to, but cannot be wished away. We state that if there is no deliberate attempt to manipulate the primary process, it is important to make the membership register available, display it for claims and objections before using it for the primary election. The APC, we say with confidence, will not want to involve itself in a muddled-up arrangement that could tarnish its democratic image.”
But in his reaction to Adeoti’s allegations, the APC’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi noted that Aregbesola/Adeoti’s faction of the party are crying wolf where there is none. He added that Governor Oyetola is a peace-loving person who would not encourage violence of any kind in any issue that involves members of his party.
He said that the Osun Progressives (TOP) which Adeoti referred to has no locus standi as the only recognized leadership of the APC in the state is under the chairmanship of Prince Gboyega Famodun while Governor Oyetola is the leader of the party. He promised that the primary election would be free and fair, assuring that the Governor or any leader of the party would not interfere in the exercise.
Oyatomi who said there was no cause for the alarm regarding the primary election, like Aregbesola earlier did, called on members of the APC across the state to troop out in large numbers and assemble at their wards’ voting centres throughout the state from 8.00am today to participate fully in the direct primary.
The party’s spokesman said that the APC’s candidate for the July 16 governorship election will be elected by all card-carrying members of the party and urged them not to be scared by rumours of violence and attack. He also advised to comport themselves orderly, peacefully and responsibly in order to ensure a successful election.
