Alao-Akala Is Not Oyo APC Leader – Unity Forum

The Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has denounced media reports that the party has selected former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala as its leader.

Alao-Akala had on Monday written a letter addressed to members of the APC in the state instructing them to bury their differences and join him to reposition the party.

He said he remained neurtral and would not take sides to make sure the party was united and returned to the winning way.

Alao-Akala’s letter read, “I, hitherto, implore all members with aspiration to keep their ambitions for now and join me and others in building a virile and strong party. I am always available and open to everyone.

“I, hereby, put all members on notice that an expanded, all inclusive meeting shall be held soon to further cement our oneness. I reassure you once again that I am committed to leading our party to victory come 2023.”

But the Unity Forum in a statement jointly signed by four of its leaders, Senator Soji Akanbi, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin,Senator Ayoade Adeseun, and Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, the Unity Forum said the media report did not correctly capture what happened at the meeting held at the residence of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in Ibadan last Sunday.

.The group said Fayemi proposed the composition of an advisory council of elders with Alao-Akala as chairman.

The group stated that when attempts were made by some of those present that Alao-Akala be made the leader of the party in the state,this was vehemently opposed.

The Unity Forum said, “We call on members of the APC in Oyo State to discountenace the false claims on the peace initiative in the party. The cacophony of voices that have trailed the meeting is a confirmation that the Sunday meeting has worsened rather than help resolve the crisis in the APC in Oyo State.”

The Unity Forum leaders said it was wrong and mischievous for anyone to regard the former governor as a leader of the party in the state because the party’s constitution did not make provision for such position.

The statement further said, “The constitution of APC does not make a provision for a leader. Given the recent experience of the party with dictatorial leadership, the council of elders should provide collegiate advisory leadership for the party instead of creating another possible dictator.

“This position became the popular theme in subsequent contributions. The opinion was so overwhelming that in his closing remarks,Otunba Akala angrily rejected the offer to be chairman of a council of elders. He said he was only ready to be leader of the party.

“The meeting however went ahead to resolve that Akala be chairman of the council while the two surviving former deputy governors in the party and Chairman of the party,Chief Akin Oke, be made automatic members of the council. They are to consult elders of the party in Oyo Central and Oyo South Senatorial zones to nominate three members each into the council.

“Efforts to elect the representatives at the meeting were resisted as there was no equal representation of stakeholders of the party at the meeting. At this point,it became evident why members of the SENACO/ADP/PDP axis flooded the meeting under the guise of being stakeholders of the APC.”