A former governor of Oyo State Adebayo Alao-Akala has declared that the state is up for grabs for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections.
He declared this at the enlarged reconciliation committee meeting of the party held in his Bodija, Ibadan residence yesterday.
The former governor made the emphasis while reacting to the hard stance of some party members over the last congress and election of the state, local government and ward executives during the tenure of the late former governor Abiola Ajimobi.
Leading lights in the party had taken time to appeal to all warring factions to forgive perceived and real past wrongdoings in order to rebuild a stronger APC in the state. They explained that virtually every member suffered a type of loss in the last election, stressing that it was time to forget what happened in the past and move forward. They insisted that building a more virile party was more important than any personal aspiration at this time, assuring that a united APC in the state would move mountains in the next election.
But some aggrieved leaders posited that the two issues must be revisited with a view to removing those who benefitted from them. They explained that past wrongdoings were the reasons APC lost in the governorship election last year and pointed out that addressing the issues would help heal wounds.
The former governor, however, said his reconciliation committee was not judging any one or group as right or wrong, adding that it also does not have the power to sack any elected official. He said the important thing to do is to forget the past and work together to build the party, assuring that APC would win the next election if it speaks with one voice.
Suggesting that the current administration of Governor Seyi Makinde was flip flopping in governance, Alao-Akala said: “This state is up for grabs if we work together and build our party to become very strong again. I said it then that the position of a governor is not a joke.
“Please let us build this party. Don’t build yourself and abandon the party. If you do so, you will destroy yourself. The party offers a strong platform for everyone to fulfill his or her dreams.”
The leaders who spoke in support of Alao-Akala’s position include the party’s governorship candidate in the last year election Bayo Adelabu; Sen. Teslim Folarin who spoke on behalf of senators; Hon. Segun Odebunmi who spoke on behalf of House of Representatives members and the representative of APC caucus in the House of Assembly.
Others include Dr Sola Ayandele, Engr. Joseph Tegbe, some former elected lawmakers and the chairman, Oyo State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Mr Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye.
In an eight-point communique issued at the end of the meeting, the reconciliation committee re-affirmed its position to be unbiased in discharging its duties with a promise to address all grievances. The committee also approved the establishment of stakeholders committee in each local government to meet and handle issues regularly along with the executive.
Leaders at the meeting include Sen. Fatai Buhari, Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja and Pa Samuel Olorode.