Oyo up for grabs for APC in 2023, says Alao-Akala, others

By Bisi Oladele, Southwest Bureau Chief

 

A former Oyo Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has declared the state is up for grabs for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.

He spoke at the enlarged reconciliation committee meeting of the party in his Bodija, Ibadan residence on Saturday.

The former Governor made the emphasis while reacting to the hard stance of some party members over the last congress and election of the State, Local Government and ward executives during the tenure of the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Party leaders had taken time to appeal to all warring factions to forgive perceived and real past wrongdoings in order to rebuild a stronger APC in the state.

They explained virtually every member suffered a type of loss in the last election, stressing it was time to forget what happened in the past and move forward.

They insisted building a more virile party was more important than any personal aspiration at this time, assuring a united APC in the state would move mountains in the next election.

But some aggrieved leaders posited that the two issues must be revisited with a view to removing those who benefitted from them.

They explained that past wrongdoings were the reasons APC lost in the governorship election and pointed out that addressing the issues would help heal wounds.

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The former governor, however, said his reconciliation committee was not judging any one or group as right or wrong.

He added it also does not have the power to sack any elected official.

He said the important thing to do was to forget the past and work together to build the party, assuring that APC would win the next election if it speaks with one voice.

Declaring Governor Seyi Makinde was flip flopping in governance, Alao-Akala said: “This state is up for grabs if we work together and build our party to become very strong again. I said it then that the position of a governor is not a joke.

“Please let us build this party. Don’t build yourself and abandon the party.

“If you do so, you will destroy yourself. The party offers a strong platform for everyone to fulfill his or her dreams.”

The leaders, who spoke in support of Alao-Akala’s position include the party’s governorship candidate in the last year election Bayo Adelabu; Sen. Teslim Folarin who spoke on behalf of senators; Hon. Segun Odebunmi who spoke on behalf of House of Representatives members and the representative of APC caucus in the House of Assembly.

Others include Dr Sola Ayandele, Engr. Joseph Tegbe; some former elected lawmakers and chairman, Oyo State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Mr Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye.