His Excellency Otunba Dr Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala, the former governor of Oyo State and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Elders Advisory Council in the state has said that the voice of the people and interest of the party must be Supreme, thereby making impunity a thing of the past in the party.
The former governor stated this in response to the request of some party faithfuls and supporters who trooped in to his Awosika residence on Tuesday 12th October, 2021 to solicit for an equal and fair representation of members in the 16th October, 2021 state congress of the party.
He showed displeasure at the rate of impunity in the party and high level of disrespect for the party.
According to Alao Akala,”no matter how highly placed any individual is, the party is supreme.
“Anybody that calls him or herself a Politician can never be a recognised Politician without first belonging to a Political party, who will serve as your identity. It is on the platform of that Political party that you will ply your Political trade.
” If we can never use our surname to contest and win an election, then we should abide by the rules guiding the party, he queried.
“Treating that platform that gave you a Political leverage with disdain and disrespect will no longer be tolerated”
The former governor frown at the many instances where party members will go on air to say things to rubbish the image of the party because of their selfish interests.
“The era of members of the party going on Radio, granting newspaper interviews or going on social media to tarnish the hard earned image of the party has come to an end.
“Anybody caught in this web of Impunity will be sanctioned appropriately as prescribed by the constitution of the party.There are rules of engagement and it will henceforth be followed to the latter.”
He spoke further on the forthcoming state congress and promise that equity and fairness, the people’s voice and party interest would be strictly considered.
“You members of the party will decide who you want as your leaders.
They should know they cannot be the aspirant and at the same time be the one in charge of the party structure.
You cannot eat your cake and have it.
Anybody clamouring for the party structure is wasting his or her time,
the party has returned to the people who are the members of the party.
“The people own the party not any leader or stakeholder. Without you followers, we (leaders) cannot exist as you use to call us.
“This coming state congress will be an open affair and nobody’s ambition can supercede the interest of the party.I want to assure you that every local government will have a representative in the state executive.”
” We have thirty six (36) positions in the state executives and we have thirty three (33) local government areas in Oyo State.
” It is a simple arithmetic, each local government will have a slot in the spirit of fairness and equity unlike in the past where some local governments had up to three (3) representatives in the state executives while some had none.
In the formation of this outgoing state executives, Oluyole local government for example has three (3) representatives on the Exco Oluyole
(Deputy state chairman,
State legal Adviser and
Organizing secretary) while surulere local government has nothing. Where is the fairness in that.
” Same thing for Ibadan South East, where they have the State Secretary, P.R.O and Welfare Officer and Itesiwaju local government has nothing.
Again in Ibadan North East local government with special leader and youth leader.
These are the abnormalities we are out to correct in the formation of the new executives of the party and I can assure you we will achieve that. Each local government will have at least a representative.
“Our membership is populated by an array of cerebral minds that are very capable of steering the ship of the party for us.
We will ensure that we bring on board a new set of team to steer the ship of the party for the next four (4) years”.
Even the party primaries coming up next year, It will be an open contest by the grace of God.
It will be thrown open to all.
Those carrying rumors of zoning the Governorship ticket are wasting their time.They will be in for a great shocker.
I have said it often times and I will repeat it again, it will be an open contest. Whoever the party chooses, we will support and we will win the election.
“It can be anybody from any zone of the state, whoever is interested in contesting for the Governorship ticket of APC in Oyo State should be ready to work for it.
“It will not be tossed on anybody’s laps.
That is where the practical aspect of Politicking will come to play.
Political theory is far different from practical Politicking.
“A practical politician will always be in the field canvassing and mobilizing for support not making noise on the pages of newspapers and social media.
“APC as a party is a Progressive minded institution hence Oyo state will tow that line firmly.
Alao Akala reaffirmed that whoever that emerges as the party governorship candidate, as chosen by the party delegates, irrespective of the zone he comes from, will be totally supported to win.
“If the delegates at the party primaries decide to vote for a candidate from Ibarapa North, as Governorship candidate of the party, so be it, that is who we will work with and ensure we win the election.
