Politics

Aregbesola/Oyetola Feud: Oyetola can’t be judge in own case — TOP Chair

Published

3 years ago

January 11, 2022

Oyetola and Aregbesola

THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State, yesterday, deepened, as leaders and members of the party urged the National Reconciliation Committee to disregard the petitions forwarded to it by members of the group known as The Osun Progressives, TOP.

The party, which described TOP’s requests as self-serving, misleading, sarcastic, spurious and baseless, called on the committee to dismiss it in its entirety, as it was meant to clandestinely destroy the corporate image of the party in the State.

The party’s position was made known when the Reconciliation Committee met with stakeholders of the party at Government House, Osogbo.

Defence against TOP

Responding to some of the issues raised and prayers made by TOP members to the Reconciliation Committee, the Secretary, State Congress Committee, Mr. Sunday Akere, said the allegation of alienation of party leaders was false and way off from the truth.

On the allegation that the present Governor hinged most of its policies implementation and execution on the platform that ushered his emergence, Ilerioluwa, Akere noted that the emergence of Ilerioluwa was more or less like the emergence of Oranmiyan created by the immediate past Governor Rauf Aregbesola that ushered him to power.

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He added that since Oyetola was elected Governor, the party has taken the front burner in all decision making and implementation.

He said: “For TOP members to say they participated in the Ward, Local and State Congresses is laughable and it amounts to building something on nothing because they know there was no basis for such, and the allegation of nepotism levelled against the Governor is not only baseless but spurious.

“He who alleges must prove. All they wanted is juicy appointments.

“Their prayer asking the Reconciliation Committee to recognise their Congresses is misplaced and distractive because the Committee is to appeal to frayed nerves to give peace a chance and not deciding on the long-concluded Congress.

“The Committee should take note that these so-called TOP members have constituted themselves into a team more vicious than the opposition.

“They don’t have respect for the Governor or the leadership of the party headed by Gboyega Famodun.

“How they deride the programmes and achievements of the Governor shows clearly that some of them have made up their minds on leaving the party if they cannot get what they want.

“They are already holding meetings with the opposition and a faction of the said opposition in the State now takes the responsibility of protecting and defending them as a matter of life and death.

“The TOP members have no right whatsoever to dwell on issues that do not concern them as their demand for resignation of Mr. Governor from the APC National Caretaker Committee connotes.

“The Governor as the leader and father to all is always ready to embrace and welcome back those willing to retrace their steps.

“This Committee in the spirit of the minority having their say while the majority have their way should appeal to TOP members to join hands with Mr Governor in sustaining the progressive legacy in Osun State.

“And finally, this Committee should implore the immediate past Governor and current Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to rein in TOP members because he publicly declared that he is their patron and that he supports whatever they do.”

Speaking in turns, the Chairman, Osun APC Elders’ Caucus, called Sola Akinwumi, Senate Spokesman and Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Bashiru Ajibola; former Osun Deputies Governor, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore; Mrs Titilayo Ponle; Prince Adeleke Adewoyin; Deputy Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Mr Simeon Popoola; the Party Chairman-elect, Prince Gboyega Famodun; reaffirmed the commitment of the party’s leadership to ensure unity and oneness.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, noted that their presence at the Government House was part of efforts to ensure a fair hearing, equity and justice as it would serve as a forum for the party leadership to respond to and defend some of the allegations raised and petitions filed before it.

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Oyetola can’t be judge in own case — TOP Chairman

But in a swift reaction, the chairman of the TOP, Mr Lowo Adebiyi said the governor cannot be a judge in his case.

Adebiyi, who spoke with Vanguard, said: “The law of natural justice demands that you can’t be a judge in your case. Our call for his resignation from the committee is predicated on the fact that he has indicated his intention to seek re-election.

“As a member of the APC CECPC, it cannot be a guarantee that we will have a free and fair primary election, that is why we demanded that he should resign.

“Before now, he has the right to be a member, but the moment he decided to seek re-election, he should excuse himself and allow somebody else to replace him.

“I do not even believe they could be describing our demand as baseless, it is in the interest of the party.

“We insisted that with him as a member of the committee, we cannot have a free and fair primary.

“We are already putting a petition to be sent to Mr President on the matter.”

Vanguard

Related Topics:Aregbesola/Oyetola Featured feud Judge Oyetola

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Politics

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Published

21 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.

Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.

When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”

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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.

“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.

“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.

He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”

“No doubt about that,” he said.

Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.

“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”

Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State

“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Politics

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advanced reasons for what he called abysmal failure of democracy in Africa.

According to him, African presidents work with a clique and wield enormous powers with little or no resistance from perpetuating illegalities and abuse of office.

The ex-President said the democracy being practised in Africa does not aligned with the people’s values, culture, and way of life.

Obasanjo said spoke on Monday at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State.

The former Nigerian leader, who chaired the event, referencing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said the system should work for all citizens rather than a privileged few.

He however wondered if African countries are practising true democracy or only adopting Western Liberal democracy.

He said, “If you are talking about democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. And why has it failed?

“Because in context and in content, it is not Africa. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe.

“Today, we have democracy, which is the government of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. That is not democracy that will endure.

“It is ‘I am because I can grab.’ What sort of democracy brings you, and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? When you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.

“It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1976 to 1979 and democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007.

Politics

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Published

4 days ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.

Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.

His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”

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He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.

“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.

Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.