By VICTOR ADEOTI
OSOGBO- A faction of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has denied the allegation that its members voted against Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, during the July 16 governorship election in the state.
The Chairman of the faction, Mr Rasaq Sanisile, while addressing a news conference on Wednesday in Osogbo, said that it was the mismanagement of the crisis within the party that led to the party’s electoral misfortune during the election.
Sanisile called on the national secretariat of the party to immediately restructure Osun APC, noting that the only way to bring back the winning strength of the party is to reorganise it before the 2023 general elections.
“We note with foreboding sense of great loss, that it was an avoidable electoral defeat if issues affecting the party, which we, as a set of discerning politicians had brought to public attention about two years ago, had been handled differently.
“Our early warning was met with strident attempts at stifling our voice and muzzle us up if necessary.
“We had foretold of clear degeneration and weak position of Osun APC and had offered a seven-point agenda by which the party could be turned around and re-energised for greater efficiency and result oriented.
“Gov. Oyetola, Prince Gboyega Famodun, the APC Chairman and the entire Ilerioluwa caucus of the APC simply delivered victory to the opposition.
“By their obvious lack of party management, understanding, crass ignorance, unabashedly protection of selfish interests, exhibition of huge ego, and so on.
“They clearly deviated from the best practices in politicking, party administration, governance and democracy”, he said.
Sanisile also said that members of the faction were still bonafide members of APC in the state.
“We remain bona-fide members of Osun APC.
“The National Secretariat has a duty not to wait any longer. The wall of Jericho has fallen and Osun APC should undergo immediate re-organisation, rebooting, re-energising for greater future performances” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on July 17, declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) as the winner of the governorship election in the state.
Adeleke scored 403,371 votes, to defeat Gov. Oyetola, who scored 375,027 votes. (NAN)
