Osun Elders Wade Into Rift Between Oyetola, Aregbesola

• Elders’ Caucus, led by Chief Bisi Akande, has initiated a move to end the animosity rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the elders want to pacify aggrieved members ahead of next year’s governorship poll which will take place in about 7 months’ time.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola had tried to play down the rift between them by denying that there is a rivalry between them.

However, the Elders’ Caucus of the Osun State APC has begun moves to resolve the lingering crisis within the party to ensure that the party triumphs in next year’s governorship election in the state.

Elders of the party recently, under the leadership of Chief Sola Akinwumi led other members to the private residence of Chief Bisi Akande, former interim national chairman of the party, to deliberate on the crisis rocking the party and proffer solutions.

Twenty-nine of them were present at the meeting to chart a way forward. Aside from Chief Akuwumi, the meeting, which was presided over by Chief Akande had in attendance other elders such as Gbadebo Ajao, Kunle Odeyemi, former deputy governor, Titilaoye Ponnle, Prince Felix Awofisayo, Chief Johnson Awofisayo, Chief Oye Oke, Isa Abimbola, Ambassador Adeyemi Afolahan, Comrade Adepoju Odusola, Alhaji M.O Iyiola, Alhaji Sule Alao, Sooko Adewoyin Adeleke, Chief Sola Ogunsanya, Prof Razak Deremi, Prof Mojeed Alabi, Gbadegesin Adedeji and former deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf.

Others are Olasupo Ladipo, Issa Ojewale, party chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, former Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole, Olosunjela of Osunjela, Oba Muhammed Babatunde and Omolaoye Akintola. Meanwhile, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, Ambassador Yemi Faronmbi, Ajibola Famurewa, Prof Abubarka, Admiral Yemi Afolahan and Pa J. I Fakunle were inducted as members of the caucus during the meeting.

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The meeting commenced at 11:15 am and ended at 1:30 pm. It was a platform to identify problems, analyse the trend in the ruling party, predict its consequences if not resolved, broker peace between political gladiators, prepare counselling plans for party members and suggest the implementation of the outcome of the deliberations. They also identified the responsibility of each member (leader) and highlighted their faults. The meeting was devoid of hypocrisy as every one of them present tabled their grievances before Chief Akande, who is also a former governor of the state.

A source identified as Lasun, said the outburst of former deputy speaker House of Representatives elicited reactions.

Lasun lamented that the conduct of the leadership is causing division within the party. He pointed out that before the last governorship election in Osun in 2018 and before the last general elections, the treatment he got from the former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and leaders of the party in Osun State irritated him and discouraged him from associating with Osun politics and the APC generally because he felt cheated.

Lasun said: “I had the ambition to get the party ticket to represent Osun Central at the Senate during the last general elections, following my failed governorship bid in 2018. But, the leadership of the party treated me like I am a nobody. The leaders refused to learn from the 2018 governorship election which made it difficult for them to win in a polling unit close to my domain in Orolu Local Government Area.”

The member representing Osun Central at the Senate, Senator Ajibola Bashir interjected, saying that he secured the ticket through the intervention of the party and that he will forever respect party supremacy. He said the then Governor Aregbesola accepted his candidature for the seat of Osun Central. He said: “I hold the APC in high esteem and I will forever respect my leaders. Ogbeni supported me to clinch the seat.”

Yusuf added: “There has been a lot of crisis in the party since 2018 which was not resolved before the emergence of the Top. So, if you are saying the Top is the problem other problems must be solved.”

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