19th June, 2023
By Victor Adeoti
The Chairman of All Progressives Congress in Osun, Tajudeen Lawal has dismissed a statement credited to the elders caucus of the party that former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, should seek genuine forgiveness to return into the party.
Lawal said the party has not decided on how to treat the case of Aregbesola who was also immediate past Minister of Interior.
He spoke during a welcome home party organised by APC Reformation Forum in Ijesa Federal Constituency for Ijesa sons, who served at the national, state assembly, as well as in the cabinet of former Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, on Sunday in Ilesa.
“I read what the Igbimo Agba (elder caucus) of our party said, but they are in the advisory role of the party. The party in no distant time will state its position on it,” Lawal said while rejecting the advise.
He also rejected suggestion by Aregbesola that the party should be restructured.
“Meanwhile, we must be clear about this, we are not restructuring the party. The party is intact in Osun under Baba Bisi Akande and Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola,” he said.
He insisted that members of the party that engaged in anti-party activities during the governorship and general elections in the state will not be spared.
The APC lost the July 16, 2022 governorship election to PDP due to crisis within the party.
The party also lost all the national assembly seats to the PDP.
The Chairman, however, urged “genuine members” of the party not to lose hope, adding that with hard work and commitment, the party would return to power in 2026.
” No member of the party involved in anti-party during the last governorship and general elections in the state will be spared.
” I want to appeal to genuine members of the party not to lose hope because come 2026, we shall return to power,” he said.
Mr Timothy Owoeye, the immediate past Speaker of the state House of Assembly, urged members of the party to embrace peace and work in unionism.
Owoeye, who was one of the awardees at the event, noted that with unity in the party, it would be easier for the party to return to power in 2026.
Also, Mr Oluremi Omowaye, the immediate past state Commissioner for works, said members of the party that involved in anti-party activities must be sanctioned before allowing them back.
Omowaye, who was also another awardee at the event, said though politics was a game of numbers, the party must not condone indiscipline.
” I am an advocate of ‘the more the merrier’, but it is important we send a message to those involved in anti-party activities so that next time, another set of people won’t engage in such act.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the occasion, Mr Lukman Abubakre, said the event was organised to honour sons and daughters of Ijesa land for their commitment to the service of their father land.
Highlights of the events were presentation of special recognition awards to seven sons of Ijesaland, who served in various capacities in the state and at the NASS.
(NAN)