The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Oyo state took a new turn on Wednesday as a group within the rank of the party, “WAY FORWARD GROUP” led by some prominent members has asked the state working committee of the party led chief Akin Oke to either resign or be dissolved by the acting national working committee.
This was contained in a communique issued signed and sent to GOALPOACHER NEWS by members of the group who felt the Akin Oke led executive will continue to polarise the party if they remain at the helm of affairs in Oyo state. The group added that the SWC of the party led it to it abysmal outing in the 2019 gubernatorial election where it lost to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
CHIEF AKIN OKE ON OYO STATE APC: THE TRUE POSITION
“We members of Way Forward Group of APC Oyo State are using this medium to clarify a few issues on the recent statements and press release from the office of the Chairman of Oyo State APC.
The claim and proclamation by Chief Akin Oke led Executive that all is well with Oyo APC and that there is no division within the party is UNTRUE. We state without mincing words that this pronouncement is not a true reflection of the position alluded to by majority of party faithful who have expected the pursuit of permanent peace after the demise of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the former Governor of Oyo State.”
“It is rather unfortunate and highly disappointing that Pa Akin Oke’s and his cabal within the state EXCO would author and release such falsehood that will come to the attention of the APEX body to compound further, the already tense situation within the state wing of the party, for whatever reasons and indecorous purposes intended.”
“We are constrained to inform our National caretaker committee that Pa Akin Oke, the heavily compromised Chairman of the party in Oyo state, has for a long time now been operating the party exclusively with his cabal of frustrated and panicky fellows within the state EXCO, who are now pariahs, afraid of going into political oblivion after the demise of Senator Abiola Ajimobi whom they led astray severally while alive, thus causing untold excruciating painful castigations and aspersions on the late leader and former Governor before his demise, which has not abated even after his untimely exit.”
“Going through the body of the release, the several lies and divisive insinuations, of PA AKIN OKE would make non-politically minded indigenes and residents of Oyo State, aside party faithful
to be aghast at the proclamation of Pa Oke that all is well within APC Oyo State. The unguarded use of foul and divisive words to qualify bonafide members of the party, both the aggrieved members who stayed back to fight the course of injustice pursued by Chief Akin Oke led Executive and those who left to pursue their interests in other parties, was replete in the release.”
“They even derided those that have now returned after intensive persuasion in the spirit of reconciliation. This is an undeserved blow coming from Baba Oke’s and his cabal especially considering expectations of majority of party faithful at this crucial and critical period.”
“It is becoming clearer now that Chief Akin Oke led Executive inflicted most of the pains of our losses at the 2019 elections on the party through their ill advice and selfish disposition, deliberately positioning and programming Senator Abiola Ajimobi towards failure. Unfortunately, the latter unsuspecting played into their wicked machinations and political programming and sadly ended as the proverbial sacrificial lamb. They are determined in their wholesome trade of sycophantic strategies, oppressive tendencies and fraudulent manipulations to derail the Reconciliation agenda.”
“Pa Akin Oke with this release, is not deploying his wealth of experience as expected at this stage and critical period with concern for fulfilment of the wishes of late Senator Abiola Ajimobi as expressed in the condolence message of HE Otunba Alao Akala who pledged to sustain and accomplish the last wishes of Ajimobi on the party reconciliation agenda when he appointed him as the Chairman of the State Reconciliation Committee shortly before his demise.”
“Now history has vindicated majority of us who insisted on justice, fairness and collective commitment, with genuine and good intentions, rather thanthe disposition of high handedness and arrogance of the then leadership coupled with the sycophantic approach of the likes of Chief Akin Oke led Executive and their cohorts.
We must remind the seemingly unremorseful cabal of Pa Oke, that he was the Chairman of Oyo State APC which inaugurated the Otunba Alao Akala led Oyo APC Reconciliation Committee just a few weeks ago with high hopes from the party faithful, that peace was finally returning into Oyo APC family that had been badly battered with disintegration, almost going into political extinction in Oyo state. If all was well and there was no division what then informed the composition and inauguration of a reconciliation committee?
We at Way Forward Group of Oyo State APC remain unwavering and committed Party faithful who have consistently stayed within the party in Oyo State and will not join in this negative trend and decisive disposition of Pa Oke led Executive that has become discredited and unpopular with majority of party faithful and stakeholders.”
“The concept of tagging individuals as returnees or failed politicians is unacceptable. If such people have no political values why then did their exit from the party affect the fortunes of the APC during the 2019 elections. The reality now dawning on Pa Oke led executive is that those days of autocratic and unfortunate political manipulations and process interference are gone and never to be tolerated or experienced again in Oyo State APC family. They are simply struggling by holding on to the last straws for survival, a set of drowning men who are not mindful of selling their conscience and the entire party for morsels without blinking an eye.”
“We strongly believe that a true reconciliation and repositioning of the party towards the 2023 elections requires harmonious and peaceful resolutions of issues, realignment, total overhaul and restructuring of the APC Oyo State.”
OUR POSITION
In view of this development, please find below a summary of the position we are taking in concert with majority of party members.
1. Calling the attention of well meaning party leadership at the National level and our teeming party faithful to disregard this misleading release of Pa Akin Oke led executive and their cohorts, using the SENACO and Lamist groups as face masks to carry out their wicked machinations and negative insinuations which are capable of further disintegration of our Party.
2. The immediate adoption of the Otunba Alao Akala led Oyo APC Reconciliation Committee formed by Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi and officially inaugurated by this same Pa Akin Oke led Exco and now expanded by HE Alao Akala to provide the roadmap for true and genuine reconciliation and repositioning of the party against the political misfortune prone initiatives pursued by Chief Akin Oke and his embattled group.
3. We hereby pass a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Pa Akin Oke led executive and by extension at Local government and Ward levels and unanimously call for their dissolution. Never again will the party have such wickedly belligerent souls in charge again. We had thought we could manage to put up with them and allow them to finish up on the stolen and manipulated mandates they hold, in the spirit of reconciliation and repositioning of the party but alas they could not even wait for Senator Abiola Ajimobi whom they claimed to have loved, to rest before showing up in their true colours of betrayals and malevolent tendencies.
4. We further request and will appreciate the constitution of reliable men and women of impeccable characters into a Caretaker Committee pending the conduct of a transparent Congress towards the election of new party officials at the State, Local governments and Ward levels.
5. We will also like to put it on record that though we painfully but avoidably lost severally and severely during the 2019 General elections, we are determined to put ourselves and our resources together, and are now poised to welcome all our disenfranchised members back into the APC fold with assurances that they will not be intimidated any longer.
6. Finally, we unequivocally demand a retraction by the Chief Akin Oke led executive of their infamous release with apologies for those unfortunate and divisive statements contained therein, within 24hrs of this publication otherwise, we may issue further directives on their continued relevance in Oyo state APC family.
In Closing, we state with full conviction, that the above is the position the entire party is committing to pursue towards achieving a successful implementation of the agenda to honour the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi and fulfil the sincere wishes of majority of the party faithful in APC Oyo State.
Eng. Dipo Fawole
Convener
Hon Kazeem Adebayonle Sanni
Secretary.
Other prominent members of the party that signed the communique are,
Chief Femi Olaore
Hon. Jide Adewale
Hon. Kunle Olatunji
Hon. Adeniyi Adeoti
Hon. Mutiu Adewusi