From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the two splinter groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum have closed ranks and have agreed to work together in unity with a view to possibly ousting the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Government House, Oke Oyinbo, Agodi, Ibadan.
The Ajimobi Legacy Forum comprises loyalists of the immediate past governor of the state, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who served as governor from 2011 to 2019 and died on Thursday June 25, 2020. Also, the Unity Forum consists of members of APC that fell out with Ajimobi before, during and after the Saturday May 12, 2018 local government poll, which also include the loyalists of former governor of the state, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina.
The third splinter group is PDP Reform, comprising those who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC. But the third group was not invited to the meeting. But the leaders were quick to point out that the Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum were the two groups that had misunderstanding, and it was imperative for them to come together to broker peace, adding that the all the three groups would henceforth work together as one with a united front.
Ajimobi’s wife, Chief Florence Ajimobi, reportedly initiated the peace move, which made leaders of the two splinter groups from all the 33 local government areas of the state to converge on the Banquet Hall, Premier Hotel, Ibadan, for a crucial meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting, which was co-chaired by chieftains of the party, Chief Kunle Sanda, and Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi, was graced by former Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Senator Olufemi Lanlehin; Senator Ayoade Adeseun; former deputy governor of the state, Otunba Moses Adeyemo; Chairman, National Communication Commission (NCC), Prof Adeolu Akande; Chairman, National Lottery Regulatory Commission(NLRC), Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting, and read by Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi stated: “The leaders of Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum drawn from all the 33 local government areas of Oyo State, realising the need for peace, unity and progress of the party in the state, met on May 5, 2021, and resolved to bury their differences and henceforth work as one within the party (APC).”
The resolution stated that all members of the party should henceforth should henceforth collapse their meetings into one at all levels, and henceforth work together for the peace, unity and progress of the party. The meeting also commended Mrs Ajimobi and the leaders of the Unity Forum and Ajimobi Legacy Forum for the settlement of their differences.
The meeting that also commended the leadership of Chief Akin Oke, the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state and pledged support for the caretaker committee, resolved “to sustain the enduring legacies of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bola Ige, Alhaji Lam Adesina, and Senator Abiola Ajimobi.”
They, however, affirmed their continued loyalty and support for President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, adding that all Nigerians should pray for the country “in these trying times. We pledged to work assiduously for the victory of the party at all elections in 2023 general elections.”