FORMER Deputy Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola has berated the chairman of the party in Oyo State, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha over his comments on the zonal chairman South West of the party, Chief Eddy Olafeso over harmonisation of the state executive.
Senator Agboola, in the company of other party leaders and stakeholders in the state, stated this on Tuesday while addressing some journalists in Ibadan.
He said it is “a big shock and very embarrassing to watch as the Kunmi Mustapha group continue to engage the media in order to reverse a decision taken in the presence and with the knowledge of the National Chairman of our great party and other members of his executive.
“Accusing the Zonal Chairman South West, Chief Eddy Olafeso of connivance and passing a vote of no confidence on him is as strange as it is unfair, and appear that they are merely looking for a scapegoat.”
Agboola who was flanked by Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, former Speaker, Oyo state House of Assembly, Honourable Moruf Atilola, Prince Dotun Oyelade and Honourable Dare Adeleke, said the faction could not deny the fact that they are part of the harmonisation exercise, thus lamented why they are playing the game with reality.
He revealed that “the majority of party members are satisfied with the decision to fairly harmonise the state exco and give kudos for the painstaking manner it has resolved the issue so that the party can move forward and face the challenges of the coming elections in Oyo state. The issue of harmonised state Executive was inherited from The
National caretaker Executive Committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.”
He then led other members of the group to express their support for Olafeso, and pass a vote of confidence on him as they described him as a worthy leader in the zone, adding that the statement was meant “to put the record straight and to emphasise the need to embrace peaceful resolution that will bring about all-inclusive and vibrant party that will change the political landscape of Oyo state in 2019 with our victory at the polls.”
According to him, “It is unfortunate that this factional group would wish away the Harmonisation of the Oyo state executive which was in the first place the template submitted for the resolution of the Congresses which were separately held in Ibadan last year, and which was subsequently acceded to at a meeting jointly attended by leaders
of both factions at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, February 20.
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“With all the emphasis at our disposal and the unity of purpose as exhibited by the Abuja declaration, we hereby pass a vote of confidence on the Zonal Chairman and admonish him to continue with his good work knowing fully well that he equally enjoys the backing of the national leadership. We also rebuke the Kunmi Mustapha faction for
openly criticising the National body for performing its legitimate function.
“It is not our intention here to rake up old wounds since the issue of harmonisation has been effectively resolved in a just and fair manner, but we are not unaware of the machination of the Kunmi Mustapha faction when it mischievously included the Labour Party, whose leader declined to join our party and Alliance for Democracy that was practically non existent by sharing offices among them as bargaining chips in order to have more officers.
“We are unsure of the mindset of Kunmi Mustapha and his group when he said that he felt personally insulted by the invitation of the National Chairman that five representatives each should report in Abuja to resolve the issue. Is he saying that the National Chairman has no right to invite party members to the headquarters for consultation?”
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