The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in the state, Gboyega Famodun, have been accused of delivering victory to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the last gubernatorial election.
Rasaq Salinsile, the factional Chairman of the party in the state, who levelled the allegation during a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday also added that the governor and his party chairman clearly deviated from the best practices in politicking, party administration, governance, and democracy.
Recall that prior to the gubernatorial election in Osun, both the IleriOluwa group of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and The Osun Progressives (TOP) with the support of Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior, and former governor of the state were at daggers drawn.
Both factions accused each other of neglecting members, with TOP accusing the state governor of relegating supporters of the former governor and deliberately erasing all the projects of the former governor with the intent of erasing his legacies.
Salinsile, who maintained that the duo’s unresponsiveness and impunity on party issues led to the total collapse of the APC’s winning structures and the eventual loss of the governorship election, disclosed that the early warning of TOP was met with strident attempts at stifling their voice and muzzle it when necessary.
According to him, “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.”
While absolving members of TOP from allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them, Salinsile added that it was Famodun’s mismanagement due to selfish interests that led to the electoral misfortune of the party on July 16.
“Towards 2022, the party got divided into two with the former and incumbent governors leading the two caucuses. Famodun felt so comfortable to side with one of them and making the enemy of the other because of lucre-immediate gain.
“Then we went to the election and lost scandalously, even in our traditional safe constituencies and he started looking for a scapegoat. Famodun is to be told that he is an original failure and should be so told.
“The TOP which Famodun is trying to blame had offered to help him in resolving the matters that is affecting the party but his penchant for avarice, greed and corruption will not allow him to see reason,” he said.
The factional chairman also noted that violence and impunity were introduced into the party in the state with the active collaboration of the state governor and Famodun.
He added that homes of notable TOP members were attacked viciously and despite the fact that the attacks were reported to the Osun State Police Command, no attempt at investigation has been carried out to date.
“Violence was introduced into the progressive family by Oyetola and his ilk. It was much of a surprise that on February 18, 2022, thugs led by the notorious Asiri Eniba were sponsored by the Oyetola’s camp to attack Aregbesola’s convoy at Orisunmbare market, Osogbo. You wondered, what exactly has Aregbesola done to Oyetola to deserve this kind of treatment,” he added.
He however stated that the faction was open to reconciliation and affirmed that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still the presidential candidate of the party.
Salinsile also called the National Secretariat of the party to, as a matter of duty, immediately re-organise, reboot and re-energise the Osun APC for greater future performances.