Oyo State former Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Survey, Isaac Omodewu has been elected as the new chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), in the state.
Omodewu, who hails from Otu town in Itesiwaju local government area of the state emerged after delegates reached a consensus at the party congress held in Ibadan on Saturday October 30, 2021.
In his acceptance speech as the party chairman in the state, Omodewu urged members to put their grievances aside and unite to move the party to greater heights, stressing the need to allow peace to reign in the party as well as staying focus on how to win elections at all levels in the state.
Earlier to the emergence of Omodewu as the party chairman, major stakeholders of the party called for the suspension of the state congress.
According to a statement signed by Olamilekan Olusada, a Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to Hon. Tolu Akande-Sadipe, Senator Ayo Adeseun, made the position of the stakeholders known at a press conference in Ibadan.
The reason cited for the suspension of the congress was the high-handedness of a serving Senator and former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala who surreptitiously cornered the party and pocketed its ward and local government delegates lists.
At the conference were: former guber-candidate of the party, Bayo Adelabu; House of Rep member, Tolu Akande-Sadipe; Minister for Sports, Sunday Dare; guber-aspirant, Mogaji Tegbe; Cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Adeduntan; NCC Chair, Prof. Adeolu Akande; former ALGON Chair, Abass Aleshinloye among others party chieftain.
The chieftains called for a suspension of the congress following an alleged forgery of wards and delegates lists by the serving senator and a former governor of the State for their selfish reasons.
Calling for the suspension, Senator Adeseun decried the insensitive manner at which the culprits manipulated the delegates’ lists, despite what was sent to Abuja by the State Executives after the legitimate ward and local government congresses held in Oyo State.
He noted that top-ranking party officials said the call for suspension was in order, adding that the culprits behind the shenanigans do not have the true interest of the party at heart.
Adeseun said the list sent from Abuja for the State congress was in complete variance from what was sent from the State, noting that there is a limit to what the party membership could condone.
He, therefore, appealed to the National leadership of the party to take up the matter seriously and if need be, limit the list of delegates from Oyo State to the statutory number, according to the party’s constitution.
“We received information that the list sent in from Abuja had been tampered with by a serving senator and a former Governor of the State. In order to safeguard the integrity of the process, we appeal to our National Chairman to suspend the State congress until all of this is sorted out. We appeal to our National Excos to suspend this process. Oyo is a sensitive state. The National congress could be attended by the statutory list of delegates from the State. Oyo APC is ready to take over only if we are sincere with our hard earned democracy. The so-called State congress has been postponed. We have committed too much to the party, than for anyone to make a fool of us, Senator Adeseun explained.
