2019: APC On Brink Of Electoral Failure In Oyo

By Olu Babalola, Ibadan

The crisis in the Oyo State chapter of the ruling party (APC)is far from being abated and the ugly scenario may witness its total electoral failure in the next year’s general elections in the State.

The Minister of Communications ,Barrister Adebayo Shittu during an interraction with newsmen at the Correspondent Chapel Forum of Nigeria Union of Journalist in Ibadan during the weekend, narrated how he and his group escaped death by the whiskers from thugs of a faction sympathetic to the incumbent governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Shittu said that all efforts made by his group called Unity Group to make the Governor’s group see reasons on the illegality of their congresses as well as the local government election were futile adding that the Governor was seeking self interest.

The Minister who is among scores of gubernatorial aspirants in the state said that all steps taken by the SENACO group as related to the congress and the local government elections were illegal and unconstitutional and should be rejected by the national body of the party.

He said that the Governor went ahead with the local government election that involved only his party members to cover his failure because he did not conduct any election in the local government since he assumed office in the last seven years.

Shittu disclosed that there were still cases pending in court on the congresses adding that members of the party who were lovers of rule of law should not be seen engaging in any illegality as done by the SENACO group

He alleged ,”in broad daylight,loyalists of Governor Abiola Ajimobi unleashed violence on APC secretariat where our members were attending a meeting in obedience to the directive of the congress committee.

“Following that dastardly act of the agents of darkness and impunity,the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly,Hon Wasiu Abdullah, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi and members of the congress committee sustained different degrees of injuries”

The Minister said that it was regrettable to note that the Governor and his group could not follow the path of democracy laid down by their leaders including Senator Bola Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari

Answering another question on what he would do if he lost in the primary,Adebayo Shittu expressed confidence that he would win adding that it was those in Ajimobis faction that might defect to another party if they failed to follow justice.

He also denied a suggestion that the crisis might adversely affect the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari next year giving statistics that more votes were expected from the Northern part of the country and which would subdue that of the entire south.

Meanwhile, Governor Ajimobi has commended members of APC in the state for the success of the congresses as well as the victory of the party during the local government election.

The Governor noted that it was a confirmation of the trust which the residents of the state have in his administration adding that with that victory,APC would win in the 2019 general elections in the state.