Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have called for the release of the authentic delegates list before any congress could hold in the state.
They made the call on Saturday at a news conference held at the Premier Hotel in Ibadan, on the aborted state congress scheduled for Saturday.
The party’s congress in Oyo State had been postponed more than three times over alleged manipulation of the delegates’ list by a group within the party.
The state congress, rescheduled to hold on Saturday at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan, was boycotted by the party leaders and other stakeholders.
The leaders stayed away from the Congress over the alleged falsification of delegates’ list presented to the state Chairman, Chief Akin Oke by Alhaji Gambo Lawan, State Congress Committee Chairman.
Sen. Ayoade Adeseun, who spoke on behalf of the leaders, appealed to the national leadership of the party to delay the state congress till when the authentic delegates’ list was provided.
Adeseun, flanked by other leaders, alleged that a serving senator and former governor were responsible for the falsification of the delegates’ list.
“Some dubious people have inserted fake delegates into the list brought from Abuja.
Normally, when you write an examination, you need to get results to know if you pass or fail.
“We did the first congress, we did not get its result. We held the second one, with no result. They kept them all.
“They brought them all together to us yesterday (Friday) for us to hold the State Congress,” the group’s spokesperson said.
He said the delegates’ list brought to them on Friday was fake and falsified, adding ty false names were observed on the list.
Adeseun said: “It is not possible to use the falsified list for the state congress.
“In this state congress, we have agreed to go for consensus, but some elements in the party falsified the delegates’ list.
“If they use the falsified delegates’ list to hijack the party structure, can they use the same approach to win in the general elections?
“Two people are behind this falsified, adulterated, and fake delegates’ list. One serving senator and a former governor of the state.”
He said they thought that people who had attained such high positions should be trustworthy and reliable.
“Party members and leaders in Oyo State are vehemently kicking against using such delegates’ list to conduct the state congress.
“We are using this medium to appeal to the national leadership of our party to intervene. The suffering in Oyo State is too much. We don’t want to suffer again.
“The only solution to this is to allow our party to conduct the election and win.
“Our party was in government for eight years and brought unprecedented development to the state,” he said.
Adeseun said that the step taken by these people would only allow the party to suffer defeat in the forthcoming election.
“In 2018, there was a crisis in our party, and it was polarised, that polarisation led to the victory of the ruling party in Oyo State.
“We now came together and decided to elect our party officers transparently, but the former governor and the serving senator don’t want it that way.
“It is not possible to hold today’s congress if we don’t get the legitimate and authentic list, that is transparently compiled,” he said.
Adeseun urged them to bring out the authentic list of the ward and local government congresses, saying that they were ready for the congress.
He called on the national leaders of the party to punish those responsible for the falsification of the state delegates’ list.
“We are calling on the national leadership to seriously investigate and find out who was involved in adulterating the congress list from Oyo State and discipline them appropriately.
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“The fact that in the past we never allowed people to be disciplined is why we have this challenge. Progressives don’t behave that way.
“These hardcore ultra-conservatives have infiltrated our group and they are bringing their culture of hijacking into our party,” he said.
Adeseun said that if those allegations could not conform with decency, they should go back to where they came from.
Among the leaders present at the news conference include, Prof. Adeolu Akande; Chief Joseph Tegbe; Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Olagunju Ojo, and Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle.
Others were Mr Sunday Dare, Minister of Youths and Sports; Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye; Chief Sharafadeen Alli; Rep. Akeem Adeyemi; Rep. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe; Dr Azeez Adeduntan, while Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) sent a representative. (NAN)
