Osun APC Ward Congress: Appeal Committee Yet To Complete Its Work–TOP

….Denies Alleged Evasion Of Party Secretariat during Sitting

.. .Calls On Security Agents To Investigate Attack On Member

The Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has denied the allegation that it led the invasion of political thugs at the party Secretariat during the Ward Congress Appeal Committee sitting on Saturday.

The party caretaker chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and some members of Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s cabinet had earlier accused the group chairman, Revd Adelowo Adebiyi of leading the attack on members of the party.

Addressing newsmen during a press conference on Sunday in Osogbo, Revd Lowo Adebiyi, Chairman, The Osun Progressive (TOP), noted that their petitioners were at the Secretariat to submit their petitions.

Represented at the press conference, by his vice who also double as the party caretaker secretary, Rasaq Salinsile, Adelewo stated that they got there early as they had confidence in the Appeal Committee, adding they had several petitions and wanted justice, ” how will such a group that has confidence in the committee filled with experienced elders cause violence?”

The party chieftain said, “we dare say that the Governor and his group and thus choose violence and impunity to either get their way forcefully or get us emasculated.

“We saw this coming and we had taking the right path of law and order. While the Osun Progressives was rising and getting popular, Governor Oyetola and his group’s popularity were nose-diving. That is the path that led to attacks on party members of the Osun Progressives who had thronged the party Secretariat to present their appeal to the committee.

“Hoodlums with Oyetola 4+4 face caps were drafted to the secretariat to dislodge the party members who had been calmly going before the Appeal Committee to present their cases. The resolute members resisted the invasion and walked the thugs out. The thugs yielded to awesome number and left in shame.

“The sitting was going on smoothly and everybody thought reason had prevailed and the worst was over. But then, there was this comic relief on the social media where a Commissioner in the Oyetola’s cabinet posted a scam of a material alleging the Chairman of TOP of bringing thugs to attack the committee members.

“The picture that the female commissioner put to illustrate her lies showed a person holding Governor Oyetola’s identity cap and you wonder how possible that the person carrying the Governor’s support cap is a member of the committee? On enquiry, the man was in protection of one of the senior thugs when he hits his head against the gate,” he explained.

“This is even as we at the TOP are determined to pursue this case to its logical conclusion through all known legal and socially rightful means, no matter what Governor Oyetola and his group are doing. We are convinced of the fact that impunity has an end.”

He however, said that the Appeal Committee is yet to complete its work contrary to insinuation making the round that it had done with the job with all the petitions being attended to.

He also expressed confidence in the ability of appeal committee once its discharging his duty diligently.

Adelowo said he was surprised that Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration find it easier to make enemies within his own party.

Adelowo said “It is surprising that the Oyetola administration has find it easier to make enemies within his own party while the opposition is left to its own devices.

“While the opposition party is working hard to win the 2022 election, the Oyetola’s government is busy excluding his co-party members, disuniting his party and making them to regret ever considering him as candidate in the first place and going ahead to make him win election at all cost.

“Governor Oyetola seems interested in winning second term ticket at all cost and not minding whatever that follows. Well, we live to see the way things go” he said.

While reacting to attack on the stalwart of the party, Honourable Biyi Odunlade by the suspected thugs in Ile-Ife, Adelewo said the attack is what had been foreseen by the leadership of the party to occur.

He said they had earlier raised the alarm over alleged plans by suspected thugs allegedly working for governemnt to unleash terror on the leaders of the group.

“In pursuit of the viciousness of the government and party officials, they have commenced in earnest, the attack and assassination attempt we reported. After the Osogbo party Secretariat, they made way to Ile Ife home of Hon. Biyi Odunlade.

“He was lucky to have left home few minutes before the arrival of the hired political thugs. Otherwise, only God could say what would have become of him, taking into consideration the multiple dangerous weapons they stormed his abode with.

“His wife, children and grandchildren were met at home and had to resort to various ways of escapes, leaving trails of injuries and massive destruction to the house. Mrs Odunlade had her groceries shop attached to the house looted and every other things destroyed. This is certainly a beginning of the fulfillment of our reported attacks and assassinations by the government’s men.”

He called on the security operatives and federal government to prevent bloodshed in the state, drawing their attention to planned attacks and assassination of TOP members.