The members of the National Committee on Osun State Congress of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), on Sunday described the parallel congress held by members of The Osun Progressives as political charade and a fruitless effort.
The committee said it’s not aware of any other Congress of the party held in Osun State except the one it coordinated and supervised inside the Osogbo City Stadium. It noted that if such happened at all, it was just a waste of time as the committee remained the legitimate body saddled with the responsibility to conduct the State Congress.
InsightMedia on Saturday reported that the Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye-led Congress Committee from the national headquarters of the party conducted a State Congress that produced Prince Gboyega Famodun as the Chairman of the party in the Osun State.
Addressing the journalists at the State Party Secretary, Osogbo, the Chairman of the Congress Committee, Elegbeleye, said there was no other Congress except the one his colleagues conducted and supervised, which was done in line with the party’s constitution, electoral principles and guidelines.
Elegbeleye, who described the insinuations of parallel Congress in the State as a fallacy, said on no account can Congress hold outside the knowledge of the Committee as prescribed by the party’s principles and guidelines.
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“As far as we are concerned, there was no Congress anywhere else except the one we conducted and supervised.
“We came here on Friday to address a Stakeholder’s meeting where we announced the venue of the Congress and this was done in the presence of the media.
“As you all know, we were saddled by the leadership of the party at the National Secretariat to conduct Osun APC Congress and when we arrived, we announced the venue of the Congress. So, if anybody goes to the shrine to do another thing, that may probably be a marriage ceremony, not a Congress.
“The Congress we did was the Congress that the party recognised and we cannot assume there was a Congress elsewhere”, he said.
Elegbeleye who expressed satisfaction at the entire process, said it was a good thing for the Committee that all the candidates that met the constitutional requirements and satisfied the party’s principles and guidelines won the seats and were consequently declared winners of the Congress by the Committee.
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He said the Committee had done the needful as expected, having performed the task in the presence of the required electoral empire and other relevant agencies.
“The Congress was successful, hitch-free, fair and credible as envisaged and it was conducted in accordance with the Constitution, principles and guidelines of the party as enshrined in Article 20 as read out yesterday.
“We have had the Wards and Local Government Congresses before the State and we thank God that everything went smoothly without rancour as our members comported themselves and demonstrated the much-expected Omoluabi ethos.
“As we all know, the screening of the delegates was done normally and it was a 99 percent success. We have done the needful. The winners had met the constitutional requirements and they have been returned elected,” he added.
Earlier, the APC State Chairman-elect, Hon. Gboyega Famodun, lauded the Committee for being transparent, accountable and for ensuring that the entire process ended well.
Famodun who expressed profound gratitude to the loyalists of the party for re-electing him promised not to let them down.
“I thank the Committee for a job well done and for giving us a wonderful executive through the Congress conducted. I want to assure you all on behalf of my team that we will put in our best.
“I commend the Press for doing us proud and for ensuring effective coverage.
“I commend those that contributed to the success of the Congress, particularly the Governor who has been so supportive. I extend tremendous appreciation to Chief Adebisi Akande who has been superintending the whole thing.
“I am happy, glad and overwhelmed for what we did yesterday. By the grace of God, we will not disappoint you all,” he added.
