From Ndubuisi Orji and Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
Gubernatorial ambition of Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Yussuff Lasun, seemed to be under threat as members of the Osun caucus, at the weekend, tackled him over his alleged disregard for the directive of the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop campaign.
Members of the caucus, at a press conference, in Abuja at the weekend frowned at what they described as an open campaign by Lasun on the floor of the House last week, while eulogising the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke.
The deputy speaker had stated that APC had asked the late Adeleke and himself to stop their gubernatorial campaigns.
But the lawmakers said Lasun’s statements, insinuating that the APC had singled him and the late senator out and sternly warned both to desist from going forward with their campaigns to contest the 2018 governorship election in Osun, was not correct.
A communique read by Secretary of the Caucus, Biodun Famurewa, said: “Nothing could be further from the truth. What is on record is that there was a time when there was a frenzy of declarations of aspirations to be governor of Osun State by over 15 members of our party, including other members of the National Assembly.
“The party, in its wisdom, so as not to heat a fragile polity, issued a blanket suspension of campaigns for all political aspirations, from councillorship to presidential to all party members. This was announced by the state Chairman of our party in September 2016 and still remains in force till date.
“While we believe that our colleague, the Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yussuff, quite naturally would have been consumed by emotions while making his speech due to the pains of the loss of the distinguished senator, we call on him to address a press conference to set the record straight.”
“To do so will be path of honour and respect to the memory of the late senator.”