BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
THE crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress in Osun State has degenerated further, with the formation of a new group by some leaders of the party.
Those in the new group have argued that the party has been ruined by its caretaker chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun.
The new APC caucus, The Osun Progressives (TOP), in a statement signed by its Chairman, Adelowo Adebiyi, on Friday, said Famodun had destroyed the cohesion and unity in the party and that it nearly caused APC grief during the 2018 governorship election because he took sides among contending forces in the party.
To ensure that APC did not suffer electoral loss in the forthcoming 2022 Governorship election in the state, it was gathered that some notable leaders formed TOP and made the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yussuf; Former Speaker, Najeem Salam; and Comrade Gbenga Awosode are members.
Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, had said the group’s move towards promotion of internal democracy, effective and efficient party management, remobilisation, reconciliation and networking the party for development was worthy of support.
But, Famodun while reacting, said the management of party activities was not vested in a pressure group which is not recognised by the party’s constitution, adding that if the group had any idea that could be of benefit to the party, it should be channelled through appropriate constituted authority.
He said the new faction was absurd and unrecognised and that no one would be allowed to rebel against the party’s leadership.
He said, “The Constitution of the party doesn’t recognise any splinter group within the entity called APC in this country. The man that signed the statement is a leader of the party, there is no role for the former acting chairman in the management of the party.
“As a leader of the party, if you believe in a cause, there are organs of the party through which such grievances could be channelled, but when you go outside all those structures or you don’t believe in those structures again then don’t consider yourself as a member of the party anymore. You can not rebel against a constituted authority within the party.”
Similarly, Lasun Yussuff in a statement by his aide, Prof. Aderemi Ajala, distanced himself from the BoT of the group, saying he did not belong to the same political bloc as the Minister.
The splinter group has called on leaders of the party, “especially Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Igbimo Agba to call Famodun, and others of his type to order in view of his unguarded utterances which is irresponsibly divisive and unacceptable in the committee of civilised world.”
It said, “Famodun’s inability to demonstrate needed capacity expected of him as the Chairman of the party towards 2018 governorship election nearly caused the party grief.
“No dispassionate Chairman would have allowed defection from his party in a few weeks to critical election as Famodun did in 2018. Rather than demonstrating father figure to all contending forces within the party, he chose to take sides in all matters in crisis and destroy party cohesion and unity.
“As we speak today, Famodun is at war with his two predecessors, the current Deputy and Secretary, the minister and other notables in the party. Famodun cannot differentiate between monarchical inheritance and a democratic organisation where multiple interests are aggregated to ensure the good of all, which is the essence of a political party.
“The above stated reason is responsible for the problems in the party today and therefore we at the TOP wish to note that his kind of person is unfit to handle party management as would be expected.
“It amounts to self deceit and playing the Ostrich for Famodun to say TOP, which has his predecessor as chairman, his current deputy and Secretary on board, does not exist.
“As a Caucus within the party, as so constitutionally recognized, we owe nobody explanation how we run our affairs for as long as it is not in contravention of the party’s constitution.”
