Unity forum: Alao-Akala is not the leader of Oyo APC

Unity Forum, a group in the of the Oyo chapter All Progressives Congress (APC), says the claim that Adebayo Alao-Akala, a former governor, has been appointed the leader of the party in the state is untrue.

In a statement, Soji Akanbi, a former senator; Olufemi Lanlehin, a governorship candidate in the 2019 election; Ayoade Adeseun and Adebayo Shittu, former ministers, dismissed some reports on Alao-Akala emerging the leader of the party in the state.

They said some agreements were reached at a meeting which held at the Ibadan residence of Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, in Ibadan on Sunday.

But that contrary to an initial agreement, “members of the SENACO/ADP/PDP axis of the APC flooded the meeting with about 60 members contrary to the 15 representatives that convener claimed had been invited to the meeting”.

The national caretaker committee of the ruling party had appointed Alao-Akala to lead the 16-man reconciliatory efforts of aggrieved members of the party.

This followed a petition written to President Muhammadu Buhari on May 14, 2020, over alleged threat to life by other members of the party led by the late Abiola Ajimobi.

In its statement, the forum said the reports on Alao-Akala being the leader of the party has worsened the crisis in Oyo APC.

“The truth is that Governor Fayemi proposed the composition of an advisory council of elders with Otunba Akala as Chairman. When attempts were made by some contributors that Otunba Akala be made the Leader of the party in the state, this was vehemently opposed on two grounds: one, that the constitution of APC does not make a provision for a Leader,” the statement read.

:Second, that 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.

”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.

“Besides, the meeting in Ibadan was on the directive of the National Reconciliation Committee of the APC. The outcome of the meeting is to be reported to the committee which will in turn report to the National Caretaker Committee of the party for final decision.

“What, then, is the basis of the premature announcements of unfounded outcomes if there has not been a grand plan to hijack the party for God knows reason?”