The Oyo state APC congress which took place on Saturday at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke-Ado Ibadan has been revealed to have ensued due to the state’s party chairman and commitee consent.
Gambo Lawan, chairman of the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) committee, revealed that Saturday’s state party congress was conducted with the approval of all the committee members.
Lawan made this disclosure while speaking with journalists on Monday.
The congress was conducted and supervised by the secretary of the committee, Mr. Abdullahi Bello and other members of the committee as the chairman was not allowed to leave his hotel room on Saturday.
Our correspondent gathered that hoodlums had allegedly laid siege on the road on Saturday, forcing Lawan to mandate Bello and other members of the committee to conduct the congress.
Following the congress, party men who were not comfortable with the development claimed those who conducted the congress were not the authentic members of the committee.
The aggrieved members insisted that the committee only consists of Gambo Lawan as the Chairman, Abdullahi Bello as the Secretary, Raphel Igbokwe, Hon Diran Natan, Mrs Peace Chikelu, Hon Edun Olanrewaju and Abubakar Umar Abdullah and no other persons.
But, the chairman of the committee, Gambo Lawan, while speaking with journalists on Monday, explained that the list of the committee members was signed by the Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoeduhe.
Lawan insisted that the list written on the party’s letterhead paper and signed by Akpanudoeduhe is the authentic list.
He noted that the list has him as Chairman, Abdullahi Bello as Secretary, Hon Isiaka Ibrahim, Audu Ajanaku, Zubar Amoka, Chikelue Peace and Abubakar Abdullahi as members.
Lawan said those alleging that the committee’s list was forged are unknown to him.
He maintained that those who were with the Secretary, Abdullahi Bello during the Congress are those in the authentic list signed by the Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoeduhe.
He maintained that there are persons determined to discredit the Congress personally monitored by the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Mutiu Agboke.
He said, “The controversy surrounding the list of State Congress Committee that conducted the last Saturday All Progressives Congress (APC) Congress in Oyo state has been laid to rest.
“The original list signed by the Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoeduhe is here.
“It could be recalled that hours after the Congress at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan there was an unconfirmed list where some people are claiming to be members of the Committee.
In the unconfirmed list printed on a white sheet of paper are Gambo Lawan as the Chairman, Abdullahi Bello as the Secretary, Raphel Igbokwe, Hon Diran Natan, Mrs Peace Chikelu, Hon Edun Olanrewaju and Abubakar Umar Abdullah as members.
“Those that were with the Secretary, Abdullahi Bello during the Congress are those in the authentic list signed by the Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoeduhe, which have Hon Isiaka Ibrahim, Audu Ajanaku, Zubar Amoka, Chikelue and Abubakar Abdullahi as members.
“Some people are out there to discredit the Congress personally monitored by the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Mutiu Agboke”.
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