Stakeholders in the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress have expressed determination to unite towards having a successful party membership registration exercise as part of efforts to reposition the party for victory during future poll.
They made the pledge on Monday during a meeting held at the party’s state secretariat at Oke-Ado, Ibadan, the state capital.
Many of the stakeholders held that the impressive turnout recorded at the meeting was indicative of the fact that the bickering which characterized the Oyo APC since the pre-election period in 2018.
At the well-attended meeting were political party gladiators including former Oyo State Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala; Minister of Sport and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare; and representative of Oyo Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin.
In his address on the occasion, Alao-Akala stressed the need for greater commitment and synergy among party stakeholders with a view to coming up stronger as a formidable force.
“We must swing into action immediately as we have no luxury of time ahead of the next general election during which we must do everything humanly possible to reclaim power in Oyo state.
“As much as we are ready to mobilize for the success of the party’s membership registration and revalidation exercise, we also need to take a step further by setting appropriate modalities in place for party faithful to work together as a family and dislodge the PDP from power,” Alao-Akala said.
The Sports Minister noted that the meeting was important at this critical time, saying all hands must be on deck to save the state from the clutch of the PDP.
In his address of welcome, the state Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC, Chief Akin Oke, who expressed delight at the turnout, commended the stakeholders for what he called “the collective resolve of all leaders, chieftains and members of the Oyo APC to work together as one thus repositioning the party for the task of winning future elections in the state.”
He stressed further that “Although the main objective of today’s meeting is to deliberate on how to mobilize for the success of the party’s membership registration and revalidation exercise, we must express our happiness and joy on account of the attendance of this meeting by all the critical stakeholders including our leaders who were aggrieved at one time or the other. It is a new dawn and we salute your courage for putting behind all issues of grievances to channel a new cause for the good of our dear party and the nation as a whole.”
The forum resolved that “Oyo APC shall be democratic in all its political activities as this concerns entrenchment of internal democracy particularly in the area Party Congresses and elective positions.
“Oyo APC is now an indivisible family poised to win all future elections in the state. The stakeholders also resolved to work together with the National Secretariat for the overall success of the membership registration and revalidation exercise.
“The stakeholders have placed a total ban on the inimical activities of divisive groups such as Lamists, SENACO, PDP Reform and Unity Forum within Oyo APC. All leaders, including but not limited to former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo and Chief Akin Oke are determined to galvanize available resources (particularly the teeming population of party faithful) to rebuild Oyo APC and make it more virile.
In attendance at the meeting are the former Minister of Communications, Chief Bayo Shittu; Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, former deputy governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo; Senator Ayoade Adeseun, former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Olalekan Alli; Tolulope Akande-Shadipe from Oluyole Federal Constituency, and the Minority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Asimiyu Alarape.
Also in attendance are Prof. Adeolu Akande, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Akeem Adeyemi, Olajide Olatunbosun, Olaide Akinremi, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Mr. Zaccheus Adedeji, Olatunbosun Oladele, Alh. Isiaka Alimi, Jacob Bamigboye, Isiaka Kazeem, Wumi Oladeji, Olagunju Ojo, Folake Olunloyo-Osinowo, Bimbo Kolade, Dr. Isiaka Kolawole, Bimbo Adekanmbi, Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi, Alhaji Wasiu Dauda, Alhaji Olalekan Kazeem, Chief Wale Ohu, Alhaji Kayode Olayiwola and Lasun Adebunmi, among others.
