In recent time, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has witnessed lots of internal crisis which has led to what many described as the end of the party in the state, is gradually receiving attention following the recent call for reconciliation by the leadership of the party in the state. The crises have been attributed to several factors which include; imposition, disregard for party members, deceit, poor communication system, poor leadership amongst others. These challenges have largely reduced the popularity and acceptability of the party, and by extension, reducing its chances of victory in the 2023 general elections, as some observers have cited the party’s recent loss of Osun as a warning and a hint of what is to come in the forthcoming general elections, if not properly addressed.
Topmost among the aggrieved are the aspirants in the recent local government elections across the state and the primary elections into the State and national assemblies. Some aspirants challenged that since the party knew it was going to adopt the consensus mode of election, it should not have extorted them of their hard earned millions of naira through the sale of nomination forms. They also said that since the conclusion of the primary elections, nobody deemed it necessary to call to pacify them, let alone talking of getting a refund of their money.
In a move to strategically address the internal uprising, the state leadership of the party summoned all council chairmen, party chairmen, aspirants and candidates of the party to a meeting held at Providence Hotel, Ikeja on Tuesday, the 9th of August, 2022. And to pacify the aggrieved aspirants and reconcile them with the party’s candidates, the leadership of the party which included the executive Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, his Deputy, Dr. Olufemi Hamzat, members of the GAC and the state party chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi with his excos were present at the meeting.
The meeting which touched on pressing issues, centered majorly on reconciling and reuniting aggrieved party members. Also, as part of steps adopted for reconciliation was allowing some of the invitees to share their grievances. This part was necessary to afford the leaders first-hand accounts required for intervention.
When it got to the turn of Alimosho, Mosan-Okunola LCDA, to be precise, Hon. Adunni Opeyemi Akindele aka Sisi Party narrated her ordeals since her assumption of office as the LCDA’s party chairman. She presented pictures of the locked party secretariat and the new secretariat she leased with her personal funds. She also explained how the council chairman, Hon. Olabisi Adebajo has been frustrating her activities and promoting their caucus, BATCO Mandate.
In Adunni’s words, “since I assumed office, the council chairman, in person of Hon. Olabisi Adebajo has been doing everything possible to divide the party in Mosan-Okunola LCDA. She has, practically denied the party all benefits it should enjoy and instead diverted same to her caucus. Under her watch, the party secretariat is converted to a caucus, BATCO Mandate and has been under lock, with determination of restricting me and my excos from accessing it.”
“I have made several attempts to reach her through phone calls and messages but she has deliberately ignored all my moves. I forwarded messages notifying her of our weekly meetings but instead of honouring it, the chairman and her colleagues have continued to prevent party members from attending the party meeting, through threats”, she continued.
On hearing this, the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, displeased by the report, got very upset and ordered that the mess be redressed as a matter of urgency. Unfortunately, the accused chairman was deliberately absent at the meeting, knowing fully well that the issue would be raised and since she had no tangible explanation for her actions – she saved her face by being absent.
Responding to the issue and other related matters, the party chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi ruled that there would be no Independent Campaign Group for next year’s general elections in the state, hence BATCO Mandate and all other campaign groups shall be collapsed to work under the party.
Meanwhile, information has it that the Aregbesola faction is not relenting on its move to repeat the Osun treatment for the party’s Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as sources have hinted of secret meetings between some factional leaders, Alhaji Abdullahi Ayinde Enilolobo, Alhaji Yisa Yusuf, others and different representatives from the opposition parties. It is, however amusing how they intend to vote for their candidates into the state Assembly and House of Representatives but work against the candidature of Tinubu in the same party.
Once again, we are, by this article, appealing to the leadership of the party to be watchful of these hypocrites and their desperate antics, with a view to destroying the party from within. We are concerned because we have laboured for this party and will not fold our hands and watch some ingrates pull it down for their selfish motives.
Credit: Liberation Mandate blogspot
