Osun Guber Primary: APC Panel Holds Stakeholders’ Meeting

The members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Osun Governorship Primary Committee on Thursday promised to ensure free, fair, credible and acceptable poll.

The Committee also pledged to ensure justice in the entire process, noting that no member of the party would be unjustly disenfranchised as it is committed to ensuring a hitch-free process.

This is as a former Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yussuff, on Friday accepted the leadership of Prince Gboyega Famodun as the duly recognised APC chairman in the State.

Both gubernatorial aspirants are members of the splinter group within the Osun APC family known as TOP, which refused to accept the Party’s positions and programmes, including the results of the congresses at every level.

It will also be recalled that the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the Party presented certificate of return to Prince Gboyega Famodun, confirming his chairmanship, two weeks ago.

Yusuff and Adeoti, who had aligned with the chairmanship of Rasaq Salinsile’s faction, however showed up in the stakeholders’ meeting of the mainstream APC, under the chairmanship of Famodun, in the build-up to Saturday’s gubernatorial primary.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee, the Chairman of the Committee and Governor of Kwara State, Abdul-Rasak AbdulRahman, said the Committee was fully prepared to maintain peace, urging members of the party to conduct themselves peacefully.

Other members of the Committee are Sen. Julius Ucha (Secretary); Sen. Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe; Hon. Abdulkarim AbdulRhaman; Hon. Wale Raji; Chief Mrs. Yetunde Imolehin; Mr Ofonmbuk Okon Bassy.

The Committee Chairman said, “We are here as members of the Osun Governorship Primary Election Committee of our party.

“Since yesterday, we have communicated necessary information to all the aspirants and that was done through SMS, WhatsApp and other means and all the aspirants have taken willingness to come and they were informed to come with 10 supporters and their agents in the 332 Wards.

“We came here with peace. Our party is a peaceful party and we are going to do everything to ensure that peace is maintained throughout the entire process. Fairness, equity, justice, credibility and peace are our watchwords.

“I want you all to come out peacefully and in large number to vote for your preferred aspirant. What we are looking for is peace and I can assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure a peaceful, free and fair exercise.

“To us as a Committee, peace, love, unity and oneness are our watchwords. Let’s be our brother’s keepers. What we should be celebrating is peace, love and oneness and as we are moving into the field, we should go in peace. We are here to do justice to all aspirants”, he added.

In their brief remarks, the other two aspirants, Mr. Moshood Adeoti and Hon. Lasun Yusuff expressed confidence in the ability of the Committee to ensure a peaceful process.

Earlier in his welcome address, the APC State Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, applauded the members of the committee for their efforts to serve the State and the Party.

He assured them of utmost cooperation and support, saying necessary mechanisms and apparatuses had been put in place to ensure, free, fair, credible and acceptable poll.

“I am pleased to welcome you here for this stateholders’ meeting, which will culminate into the main assignment of the Committee to conduct the party’s primary election.

“I can assure you that the structure of the party is ready and we have put necessary apparatus in place to ensure that everything works for the success of the election. We have 332 Wards, 30 Local Government Areas and One Area Office.

“Everything is in place for the exercise. What we are waiting for is your Modus Operandi and as you are aware, Osun is peaceful and we are resolute to maintain the reigning peace so as to ensure that we have a hitch-free primary election.

“Necessary information and logistics have been sent across to ensure that the entire process is peaceful, free, fair and credible election. On behalf of the leadership of the party, I welcome you to the State.”

In his remarks, the State Governor and one of the aspirants, Adegboyega Oyetola assured the Committee of utmost support, saying the State is determined to ensure a peaceful process.

“I welcome and thank members of the Committee for coming here. This is purely a family affair and I believe that, with the caliber of people here, we are going to have a free, fair and credible election.

“Necessary mechanisms have been put in place to ensure a credible poll. Osun is known for peace and we are the most peaceful State. It is an exercise that is not new to us and I want to assure you that we are going to have peace. I want to implore the members to allow peace. This is not a do-or-die affair”, Oyetola added.