Ward Congresses Tear APC Apart In Osun As Group Calls For Rejection of Report of National Committee

A group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, The Osun Progressives (TOP) has faulted the ward congresses conducted by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye led National Committee saying that the committee did more to the fragile image of the party in the state.

TOP also called on the National leadership of the party to reject the report of the Elegbeleye led committee.

CityMirrorNews recalls that the Osun National Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congress said that only candidates who collected nomination forms, passed through the screening process and participated in the congress were declared winners.

The Committee also reiterated that the exercise was carried out in line with the principles and guidelines of the party as enshrined in its Constitution and in accordance with the directive of the national leadership of the APC.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye who stated these while addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, at the State party secretariat, expressed satisfaction with the Ward Congresses held in Osun at the weekend, describing it as huge success.

He also debunked insinuations making the round that members of the Committee did not meet with stakeholders of the party before exercise, saying those peddling such insinuations were on a self-serving motive.

Reacting to the outcome of the ward congress which was held last weekend in all the 332 wards in the state, the chairman of TOP, Revd. Adelowo Adebiyi stressed that the Chairman of the Ward Congress Committee did more damage to the fragile image of APC than he met it noting that it was not in the party’s interest that he has acted.

According to Adebiyi, “It is sad that the representatives of the highly referred and reputable National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC will descend so low to tell a bare faced lie in order to cover the illegality they called Ward Congress.

“Elegbeleye said that it was only those who obtained forms that were screened and had congress conducted for and we say it is a white lie which stands all logics on its head.

“May it please Elegbeleye to tell the whole world where, when and who conducted the screening for 35 persons in each of the 30 Local Governments and one Area Office?

“It will be necessary too for Elegbeleye to tell the world, how he managed to screen the number of contestants running to several thousands when his committee arrived Osogbo on Friday evening with the congress commencing in the morning of Saturday, July 31, 2021. What a liar!

“Elegbeleye will do well to tell the whole world and produce the list of those who supervised the Congress in each of the 332 wards other than the Governor’s group, IleriOluwa who were harassing and intimidating hapless party members in most wards where elections were held.

“It is intriguing that Elegbeleye supervised a sensitive assignment like the holding of Ward Congress without seeing or talking to the State Party Secretary who is the custodian of party documents and claimed that he had successful assignment. 

“It is surprising that Elegbeleye who on arrival in Osogbo met with only Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his loyalists inside the cosy atmosphere of the Government House and stayed the night in the 3 star Hotel in company of Senator Omisore and others would think rational human beings will listen to the scandalous lie he told at a structured press conference this evening (Monday). 

“The press conference aimed at changing the well known iniquity committed last Saturday against democratic norms came dead on arrival and we tell him we are no fools that he may stupidly think we are.

“May we use this opportunity to tell the men of integrity running the party in Abuja to reject whatever fake report brought to them by Elegbeleye who obviously abandoned the assignment he was sent to do and colluded with Governor Oyetola and his group, IleriOluwa, probably on account of some lucre changing hands to do evil in the name conducting ward Congress,” he stated.