From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Osogbo
Ahead of today’s governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has raised the alarm over alleged plan by Governor Gboyega Oyetola to rig the election in his favour.
A governorship aspirant of the party and former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti who addressed a press conference in Osogbo yesterday faulted the Governor Oyetola’s membership of the National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, (NCECPC) of APC till date.
He said the failure of Governor Oyetola to resign from the committee was as a result of his influence which was said was against the party’s constitution, adding that the Governor would use the advantage over him in the primary election.
He said “It is on record and has been decided in several law suits that it is not possible to be a judge in your own case. We note that it is the display of “they cannot do anything” that makes Governor Gboyega Oyetola to remain in membership of the National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, (NCECPC) of APC till date. It is on record that we have advised him to resign but he has remained adamant and unperturbed.
” The reason, by our estimation is simple: Governor Oyetola has enjoyed the manifest misuse of the power of the committee to his own advantage since its evolution. It is sad that the NCECPC has decided all cases brought before it by us and other stakeholders in favour of Oyetola. We have it on good authority that there is understanding between members of the NCECPC that they would protect members interests at whatever point it is needed. And this has been the case in all of our efforts to seek justice in all disputation between us and governor.
“In the spirit of fair play, objectivity and natural justice, Governor Oyetola is not supposed to remain in the membership of the NCECPC. What we are witnessing is a case of a thief adjudicating his own case. He can never convict himself. Governor Oyetola’s membership of the NCECPC is against the democratic norms. We dare say that this is capable of causing disquiet, more than we are facing in Osun APC now, if allowed to pass us bye.
“The governorship primary cannot be fair, free, and equitable if Governor Oyetola is still a member of NCECPC. We note that like it happened in time of the congress, we are reliably informed that Governor Oyetola is the one who hand-picked the Chairman and members of the primary election committee. It is within human reasonability not to trust such handpicked committee by an interested party member. Such committee would never be fair to other contenders.
“We therefore express absolute opposition to whatever committee that will conduct the primary election because they were chosen by Governor Oyetola. There can only be point of convergence for us if Governor Oyetola could resign his membership and the process of conducting the primary begins afresh.
“The provision of Article 31(iii) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Constitution (2014) as Amended reads as follows:
“Any party office holder interested in contesting for an elective office (whether party office or office in a general election) shall resign and leave office 30 days prior to the date of nomination or party primary for office he or she is seeking to contest”.
“From the Constitutional provision quoted above, it is against the tenet and intendment of Article 31(iii) for Governor Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola to still remain and retain his membership of CECPC. A closer look at the provisions of the Constitution quoted above shows that the drafter of the APC Constitution has envisaged a situation as the one that is currently happening in Osun State.
“We also note that the need to manipulate the primary process and outcome in favour of Governor Oyetola is responsible for drawing back the date of the primary from March 5 to February 19.
“It is unfortunate that, with the background of the formation of APC with high moral ground in following the law, rules and regulations, the party will play the role of reversing itself in a serious matter like the date of primary already advertised for close to three months. It is unacceptable and shameful that the NCECPC will shift the goal post in the middle of the game. The date for Osun APC primary was fixed for March 5, 2022 but was hurriedly reversed to February 19, 2022. This is mind boggling and begs the question; why?
“We have it on good authority that the NCECPC was influenced by Oyetola to reverse the date to have the primary before the National Convention coming up on February 26, 2022. It is believed that Oyetola is afraid of contesting a free and fair primary election to be conducted by an objective committee.
However, the APC’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi while reacting to Adeoti’s allegations said the Governor is a peace loving person who would not encourage violence of any kind in an issue that involves members of his party.
He said the the Osun Progressives (TOP) was only crying wolf where there was none, stressing that the only recognized leadership of the APC in the state is under the chairmanship of Prince Gboyega Famodun while Governor Oyetola is the leader of the party.
He assured that the primary election would be free and fair, saying that the Governor or any leader of the party would not interfere in the exercise.
Oyatomi who said there was no cause for alarm regarding the primary election called on members of the APC across the state to troop out in large number and assemble at their wards’ voting centres throughout the state from 8.00am on Saturday to participate fully in the party’s direct primary.
The party spokesman said that the APC candidate for the July 16 governorship election will be elected by all card-carrying members of the party and urged the party members not to be scarred by rumours of violence and attack.
He urged members of the party to comport themselves orderly, peaceful and responsibly for the process to be a successful one.