Ibikunle Amosun Behind Crisis In Oyo APC, TUF. Ex Ogun Gov Helped Seyi Makinde To Win In 2019

The United Front (TUF), a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party to resist moves by a former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to hijack the party structure in Oyo state.

The group stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday. While accusing Amosun of sponsoring members of Unity Forum in the state, which consists Prof. Adeolu Akande, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Barr. Bayo Shittu, Dr. Ismail Adewusi among others to divide the party into intractable fragments, the group warned that Oyo APC is on the brink of disintegration unless the plot by Amosun and the Unity Forum is truncated.

As reported by thestateaffairs.ng, “Amosun takes absolute delight in the fragmentation of Oyo APC for the purpose of extending the web of schism he established in Ogun APC to other parts of the Southwest. His divisive ego-trip in Oyo state can be traced to the build up to the 2019 elections when he extensively bankrolled Unity Forum to tear the fabrics of the party’s wholeness apart – a move that triggered the inevitable lacklustre performance of the party in the gubernatorial polls.

“When Oyo APC restricted his petulant kicks aimed at opening cracks in the party’s leadership, Amosun later established a strong foothold in the ADC along with his bedfellows in the Unity Forum to scuttle the chances of his own party. It is on record that he channeled a large junk of Ogun state resources to finance the mobilisation and campaigns of ADC candidate, Senator Femi Lanlehin. However, his dream to glide ADC to power was built on illusionary hopes, as the party fell flat in the senatorial election which made Amosun’s camp to become completely rattled. With no other options up his sleeve, he lent a formidable support to the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Engr Seyi Makinde,” part of the statement reads.

The group also alleged that Amsoun has doled out a huge amount of money to ensure a sudden takeover of the party by the Unity Forum, “Recently Amosun’s political hatchet men have returned to the drawing board with a view of sowing discord among age-long party faithfuls. It has been revealed that the former governor has released up to 200 Million Naira to the likes of Prof. Adeolu Akande, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Barr. Shittu, Senator Ayo Adeseun, and Dr. Ismail Adewusi with a mandate to either takeover the party structure in the state or cause endless crises that will mar the chances of the party in 2023 elections.”

The group while recalling the role played by the former governor during the 2019 general elections in Ogun state said, “Amosun has consistently showed, with his divisive inclination and high-handedness that he lacks the requisites expected of managing a party even at the ward level. We can’t forget in a hurry how he almost succeeded in running Ogun APC into a state of inoperable rigidity, as he openly backed Adekunle Akinlade of APM in the 2019 gubernatorial polls. His eyes are kept on devising the same template in Oyo state.”

“We hereby appeal to our revered leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and all esteemed leaders of APC in the Southwest to look critically into all contentious issues in Oyo APC and prioritise oneness of all party members. Oyo APC might start swinging in a downward spiral unless the likes of Senator Ibikiunle Amosun, Prof. Adeolu Akande, Barr. Bayo Shittu, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Dr. Adewusi, Sen. Adeseun, Senator Akanbi and other divisive elements are made to sit out of the party’s affairs”.

The group also urged the APC CECPC to investigate alleged forgery of sensitive documents by some party chieftains in Oyo State, which led to the postponement of October 16th state congress in the state.

“APC CECPC must investigate the matter with a view to bring the erring members of party to book. Punishment of the fraudulent members will serve as deterrent” the statement concluded.