Hopes of The Osun Progressives, TOP, a group within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress loyal to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to hijack the party structures ahead of 2022 governorship elections, have been dashed by the ward congress appeal committee sent to the State by the national headquarters of the party.
Apart from dismissing all the petitions submitted to it by TOP members, the Ambassador Obed Wadzani-led panel also recommended big sanction for the leader of the group, Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi over forgery allegations.
The report submitted to the party hierarchy and sighted by our correspondent in Abuja partly reads, “the committee is taken aback that the former party chairman who claimed to be the chairman of a group – The Osun Progressives (TOP) could engage in forging members’ signatures. The national secretariat should discourage this attitude, particularly from high-ranking party members.
“All the signatories denied their signatures (and) alleged forgeries. Rev Adelowo Adebiyi (former state party Chairman) came in to request for the withdrawal of all the petitions from the LG and that they have agreed to retain all the elected ward officers.
“Hon. Babajide Festus Komolafe (member representing the LG in the state house of Assembly) came in while Rev. Adelowo Adebiyi was present, to testify that all the petitions from the LG were forged, that no one sent petition from Atakumosa West LG (and) he went further to allege that one of the supposed Petitioners, OLAYINKA FOLORUNSHO died six months before the Petition was written.”
Recall that the committee had a memorable day working in Osogbo last Saturday, as its sitting was marred by violence orchestrated by thugs allegedly hired some members of the party. However, the panel managed to conclude its works as the Chairman told InsightMedia later on Saturday.
The two groups, TOP and IleriOluwa (loyalists of Governor Gboyega Oyetola) have, after the clashes, alleged each other of causing the disruption of peace witnessed at Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo during the sitting of the committee.
Also in its report to the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee under the chairmanship of Governor Mai Mala Buni, the committee, having dismissed the petitions for lacking in merits, urged the party to constitute reconciliation committee for the State, in view of next year’s election.
READ ALSO: Osun APC: We still have confidence in the committee to do justice – Aregbesola’s group
Wazdani panel also held that the ward congress committee led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye complied with the guidelines laid by the party.
“The positions canvassed by the petitioners are considered by this committee to be unfounded. The guidelines issued by the national secretariat were complied with by the ward congress committee and the Osun State Caretaker Committee. Therefore, all the petitions should be dismissed.”
The five-man Appeal Panel equally frowned at what it called duplication of petition by the leadership of the TOP group. It observed that, “All the petitions submitted are the same in wordings, contents, and structure except local governments and wards,” thereby giving the impression that “all the petitions are written by one person.”
The panel further noted that all the petitions submitted “are from ten local governments – thirty wards (submitted to the national secretariat of the party), four wards submitted to the congress appeal committee in Osogbo. It follows therefore that twenty local governments (out of thirty local governments), two hundred and ninety-eight wards (out of three hundred thirty-two wards) are not contested.”
The Appeal Panel however urged the national secretariat of the APC to “set in motion the process for reconciliation of all those that are aggrieved within the party in the state in view of the elections coming up in the state next year, which is a forerunner to the presidential election in 2023.”
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