Oyetola Orders APC Chair To Drop Assault Case Against Aregbesola’s Loyalists

Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has asked the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Famodun, to discontinue the court case instituted against some loyalists of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

There was a clash between the loyalists of the governor and those loyal to Aregbesola at the APC Secretaruat in Osogbo on August 14 and two persons were injured during the crisis.

Consequent upon this, the police arraigned the Secretary of the party, Rasaq Salinsile; ex-APC chairman in the state, Adelowo Adebiyi; former Commissioner for Works and Transports, Kazeem Salami; ex-Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, Biyi Odunlade; former Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, Gbenga Akano as well as Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle.

They were charged with conspiracy and assault but they all pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them before the Osun State Magistrate’s Court presided over by Dr Olusegun Ayilara.

The court granted then bail but the governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, on Tuesday directed the party chairman,who is also a complainant in the case, to discontinue with it in the interest of harmony in the ruling party.

The statement read,”The governor, who was away when the incident occurred had, in the wake of the crisis, directed security operatives to take charge of the party secretariat to prevent any further breakdown of law and order, just as he had also condemned what he termed the “unruly behaviour” exhibited by some aggrieved members of the party at the APC Secretariat in Osogbo. No sane society would condone any act of lawlessness.

“However, upon his return to the state on Monday, Oyetola summoned an emergency meeting of the party stakeholders and insisted that as members of the same family, whatever differences that existed could be resolved without necessarily resorting to litigation.

“To this end, he has directed the party chairman in the state to withdraw the complaints and take necessary measures to discontinue the matter.

“The governor, who sympathised with individuals who sustained injuries during the said invasion, further condemned the invasion and appealed to party members not to resort to self-help to the extent of invading the party secretariat with armed thugs whenever there are disagreements among them.

“But as the Governor, I have directed our party chairman to discontinue the matter in the interest of peace and harmony within the party.”