By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Irepodun local government and Orolu local government areas of Osun State on Tuesday trooped out en masse kicking against an attempt made by Osogbo/Olorunda local government’s party leaders and stakeholders to hijack the house of representatives ticket previously zoned to them.
According to the communique which was issued and read after a meeting was held by APC leaders in Ilobu, the Secretary of the APC in Osogbo Federal Constituency, Hon Abayomi Oyedeji said that the conduct of the political affairs in Osogbo Federal Constituency has been with mutual agreement and respect for each others, adding that the zoning arrangement should not be disrupted for equity and justice to prevail.
According to Abayomi, “the mutual respect and agreement had brought, and continue to bring a lot of success stories into our party, APC in all elections the state. The mutual respect and the unity of purpose within the Federal Constituency had been and continue to be factors which will help the constituency to gather and garner the highest number of votes amongst the nine Federal Constituencies in the state”.
“Members of the party in Irepodun and Orolu local government council areas shall work days and nights to ensure a landslide victory, if not moon slide, for our dear party as well as the people’s governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state and other future elections”.
“We wish to point out that whoever thinks that the Osogbo/Olorunda will rob us by snatching the house of representatives ticket from us is nursing a motive that will destroy the peace and harmony of the largest Federal Constituency. We believed it is a rumour, but If the move is true, it will be unanimously resisted by all means and with anything at our disposal as an integral parts of the Federal Constituency”.
While speaking, Osun state former Commissioner for Finance, Hon Remi Wilson said that “it is “unholy act” exhibited by leaders and shareholders in Osogbo/Olorunda to have the Senate ticket together with the house of representatives ticket and leaving Irepodun/Orolu with nothing, adding that it can not be possible for them to rub our zone the opportunity to produce either Senator or member of house of representatives in the 10th National Assembly”.
She said further, “we are entitled to either the Senate ticket or the House of Representatives ticket, we give them the privilege to choose which one they want, it is not possible for Osogbo/Olorunda to take what belongs to all of us, this can not be allowed to happen at all and if they don’t want Senate ticket again, people of Irepodun/Orolu are very ready to take it”, said Remi Wilson.
The former commissioner called Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Chief Bisi Akande and the Chairman, Osun APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun to intervene, as a matter of necessity, for things not to fall apart.
Alhaji Rasheed Oyedele, who was the former Executive Chairman of Irepodun local government and then Orolu local government, lamented that “it is ungodly for whoever thinks Osogbo is entitled to have the Senate ticket and house of representatives ticket just because of the population and left Irepodun/Orolu zone with nothing, we won’t take it”.
Oyedele said it is just a dream that is far from the reality, and for the purpose of equity, justice and fairness, Osogbo/ Olorunda have produced 3 Senators namely, Senator Olu Alabi, Senator Bayo Salami and Senator Ajibola Basiru but Irepodun/Orolu have not produced Senator. If we truly want justice, equity and fairness to prevail, this is the right time for Irepodun/Orolu zone to produce Senator in the 10th National Assembly, he concluded.
