Ogun West: Leaders & Elders State Position On Senatorial Aspirants And Related Matters

The Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun West, has made their position known with regards to the party’s Senatorial aspirants in the district and related matters.

The Apex Leaders meeting took place today at Oronna Hall, Ilaro, Ogun State. 

Speaking on behalf of the leaders and elders of APC in Ogun West Senatorial District at the press conference, Hon. Chief M. A. Ajibola said, “Gentlemen of the press, some 3 days ago, exactly on Wednesday 18th May, 2022, a group of people under the bogus name “Committee of Concerned Ogun West Patriots Under the umbrella of “Ogun West Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders” in the All Progressives Congress (APC) held a meeting here in Ilaro and afterwards issued a communique which was widely used in the media”.

“Having closely studied their unsigned communique and the various media reports arising from it, it has become expedient that we as leaders of the APC in Ogun West address this press conference in order to ensure that our members and the general public are not misled by the so called “Committee of Concerned Ogun West Patriots. The leadership of any group is very important and we cannot leave room for any ambiguities, false claims or impersonation.”

“On behalf of the leaders, let me first and foremost put it on record that we align with the immediate response of the senatorial executive of our party who are the official mouthpiece of the APC in Ogun West. I will also like to put it on record that we have cross-checked with some of the leaders of the APC mentioned in the said communique including Senator Ayo Otegbola, Senator Kola Bajomo, Senator Gbolahan Dada and others and found that their names were fraudulently inserted into the communique without their knowledge or permission to create the impression that they endorsed the communique.”

“In the said communique, some outlandish claims were made which we will address one after the other:

1. That the APC in Ogun West is “enmeshed in controversy and acrimony”.  This claim is not only false, it is disingenuous as the party remains cohesive, peaceful and on a trajectory of victory for all our candidates in the upcoming 2023 general elections. Perhaps, what these elements are calling “controversy and acrimony” is the unsuccessful attempt by some of them to factionalize the party using Ogun West as a spring board. Ogun West APC of course stoutly resisted this move and to the glory of Almighty God, our former members are daily trooping back to the party. We can only appeal to those still operating outside the authentic structure of the party where His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun is the leader and Chief Yemi Sanusi is the State Chairman to retrace their steps and join the majority of APC MEMBERS in the State to move the party forward.

Or could it be the attempt by some Senate aspirants to exclude another aspirant from participating in the primary election which is being resisted by the executive and the leaders of the party in the district that is being referred to as “controversy and acrimony”?.  As stated in their communique, the said “Committee of Concerned Patriots” wants Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi excluded from the Ogun West Senatorial race with 2 of the leaders of the group referring to him (Senator Adeola) as “a stranger and a foreigner”.  We make bold to say that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola is one of our members in Ilaro Ward 1 of Yewa South local government.  As far as Yewa and Ogun West is concerned, he is not a foreigner or stranger. None of these 2 people (Senator Anisulowo and Chief Mrs Mary Ogunjobi) even have the authority to label anyone by those appellations. Besides, even an Ibo man or Hausa man who satisfies the provision of the constitution of Nigeria is qualified to run as a Senatorial aspirant or candidate in Ogun West talk less of somebody who is a proven native of the land.

As leaders and elders of the APC in Ogun West, we will not stand by and allow any qualified aspirant who can add value to the race to be excluded on the basis of personal animosity and hatred. Rather, we will support a transparent process that will throw up the best Ogun West senatorial flag bearer for our party who can win comfortably in the general election. The claim of illegality around the aspiration of Senator Adeola by the committee is alien to the constitution of the APC and that of Nigeria.

2.  That there is “an evil plot to foist a particular aspirant on Ogun West” This is another unguarded statement not backed by any iota of fact. As leaders and elders, we are aware that all interested aspirants for the Ogun West Senatorial seat and other positions have unhindered access to the executives of the party at all levels.  Apart from having meetings with the executives to sell themselves, these aspirants have also been visiting us as leaders and elders in our homes individually and collectively. Of course, during such visits, the leaders are entitled to offer honest private advices to such visiting aspirants which may sometimes be unpleasant. We believe that some of these aspirants having seen the clear handwriting on the wall are now out to discredit the leadership of the party with false and unsubstantiated claims.

3. That they are the “genuine elders, leaders and stakeholders” of APC in Ogun West. We find this particular claim extremely grandiose. How can a meeting where not a single elected official of the party participated claim to be genuine or speaking for the party? The Ogun West APC has its elected executives with its recognized elders most of whom are members of Governor’s Elders Advisory Council. Those who sat down on Wednesday 18th to issue the said communique does not belong to this category. Some of them are not even members of the APC. They should therefore be regarded as mere interlopers looking for underserved recognition.

4. That the “political party process in Ogun West is compromised and that our traditional and religious leaders in Ogun West are being dragged into the murky waters of dirty politics”. As politicians and leaders in our party, we want to state that we hold our traditional and religious leaders in the utmost respect. Because of their closeness to the grassroots, we often consult them to take inputs that can guide our political decisions. This does not make them zombies to be dragged by the nose as being suggested by the so-called Committee of Patriots.  Our traditional and religious leaders in this age and time are well educated and well informed, their enlightened opinion matters to us as politicians.

Finally, we wish to observe that some of those being celebrated in the communique issued by the committee are people opposed to the aspiration of HE Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR to run for second term. As leaders in our senatorial district, we have prior to now endorsed the Governor for second term as a reward for the good work he is doing in our district in particular and the entire state in general. We want to therefore use this opportunity to reiterate this stand and declare to the whole world that our votes and that of our people in the primary and the general elections is for Prince Dapo Abiodun.

“In conclusion, we wish to state that we regard all aspirants as our own but only one of them can emerge as candidate. Those of them who in the past have occupied one elective position or the other or have been candidates for major political positions rode on our shoulder in the past to clinch such positions. Today, they are former this and former that because we as leaders and elders stood for them, sacrificed for them and supported them with everything. We have always worked for the best to represent us in Ogun West and in this 2023 elections, our position is that the best of the lot should fly our flag and represent us. Let nobody who has benefitted from such support in the past now rise against the house in an attempt to pull it down. We will strongly resist such unguided move and hereby use this avenue to warn such aspirants and others to retrace their steps otherwise, sooner or later they will meet their political waterloo.”

Other leaders present, who spoke at the conference, were former Deputy Governor, Beere Salmot Badru, Chief Olu Agemo, Chief Mrs. Iyabo Apampa, Hon. M.A Obanla and others.