Members of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been urged to work hard for the party’s success in the coming general elections, with the promise that the party’s reward system will be fair to all, due to the capacity and competence of an experienced politician like the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin.
This was the crux of the message from Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee, when he led members to an interactive session with stakeholders of the party from the six local government areas of Ibadan Less City, at the party’s Egbeda Local Government Area office, along Ibadan-Ife Expressway, on Thursday, 21 July, 2022.
Committee members at the session were the party’s State Secretary who also doubles as the Committee Secretary, Alh. Tajudeen Olanite, Pastor Wale Adepoju, Baba E.O. Olaoye, Alh. Akin Akande, Chief (Mrs.) Funke Olayanju, Dr. (Mrs.) Adepeju Esan and Hon. Abass Akande.
Others were Hon. Wahab Oguntayo, Chief Lanre Oke, Pa Suara Ogunyemi, Hon. Gaphar Ojetola, Engr. Dayo Lawal, Alh. Bukola Badmus and Chief Sunday Ajadi Abeebo.
In his welcome address, the party’s leader in Ido, Alh. Kafarudeen Ajisafe, lauded the Committee for the courage and conviction to take up such a onerous task, urging those with grievances to state their cases with civility and decorum, a position equally advanced by the Committee Chairman who called on the aggrieved to exercise restraint, as his Committee already had the assurances of the party and its governorship candidate to heed whatever advice tabled before them.
One after the other, aspirants from the six local government areas stated their grievances and suggested workable solutions to avoid a repeat occurence as well as aid the party’s victory in the 2023 polls. Hon. Opeyemi Jimoh, Yekeen Abass and Mrs. Labake Odunsi (Ido), Mrs. Feyisayo Oyewole and Hon. Femi Adeyemi (Oluyole), Hon. Abass Adeyemo, Michael Fadoyin and Sulaimon Amidu (Akinyele), Hon. Wale Sadare and Femi Akanbi (Egbeda), Hon. Sunday Adesokan who stood in for a former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sunday Adepoju, and Hon. Ismail Oyetunde, House of Assembly candidate, Ona-Ara State Constituency, all spoke at the session.
The duo of Hon. D.A. Lawal, party leader in Lagelu Local Government and Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, party chairman in the same local government, intimated the Committee of the ingenious way by which arrangements were made to ensure the hitch-free emergence of the party’s candidate in the state constituency. This kind of arrangement they submitted, would have helped the party at large to prevent crisis which often erupts from squabbling for party tickets, if adopted.
Leaders in attendance at the meeting included Hon. Babatunde Asunmo from Egbeda, Alh. Rashidi Folarin from Ona-Ara, Alh. Rasaq Akilapa from Oluyole, Hon. S.A. Olanrewaju and Alh. Tajudeen Kolubo Sanni who both represented Hon. George Olu Akintola, Member representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency, Hon. Ademola Alli, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Murphy Adigun Hammed, a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, as well as Hon. Tirimisiyu Olowoake. Other leaders from the zone, who are also members of the Reconciliation Committee and were in attendance, included Chief Kehinde Balogun, Comrade Ibrahim Bolomope and Pastor Akin Oke.
Dr. Joshua Oyebamiji, Senatorial Chairman of the party in the Oyo Central Senatorial District, in his contribution, thanked God for the successes recorded so far, and on behalf of the State Chairman, Hon. Isaac Omodewu, pleaded for forgiveness from members who may feel offended one way or the other, urging them, in the interest of the party’s overall success, to sheathe their swords and contribute their quota.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin in his closing remarks, appreciated attendees for boldly speaking out and for coming up with valuable suggestions which can help the party succeed, pledging the committee’s preparedness to resolve all issues, particularly those revolving around the party structure, with the fear of God and the utmost belief in equity, fairness and justice.
