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Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southwest met in Ibadan on Thursday to broker reconciliation between feuding leaders and chart a course of development for the region.
In attendance at the meeting with held at the Oyo State Governor’s office, were State Governors on the party’s platform, six ministers from the region and some APC leaders at the National Assembly.
The centre of the reconciliation is a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on one hand and ex-governors Kayode Fayemi and Babatunde Fashola and others, on the other side.
Recent developments within the party, especially as the Ondo governorship elections played out, have shown that there is a battle for the soul of the party amongst its founding members.
Many believe that Fayemi, Fashola, Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun and a host of other “Tinubu made” politicians had dumped him for Federal power headed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
READ: Lagos Assembly accuses Presidency of disrespecting Tinubu
Thursday’s meeting was convened and chaired by former National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande. In attendance were Tinubu and Aremo Segun Osoba.
Below is a rundown of those who attended the parley:
Governors
Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).
National Assembly leaders
The National Assembly leaders include Senator Sola Adeyeye and House Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajaniamila.
Ministers
Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Information & Culture), Mrs Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Adebayo Shittu (Communication), Babatunde Fashola (Works, Power and Housing), Prof. Isaac Adewole (Health), Prof. Claudius Daramola (Minister of State for Niger Delta) and Dr Kayode Fayemi (Solid Minerals).
Former governors
Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Segun Oni (Ekiti) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun).
Former National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire also attended.
READ: APC crisis: Fayose condemns attack on Tinubu
Olusegun Osoba addressing reporters after the four-hour closed-door meeting. He said the meeting was called to address issues affecting Southwest in the APC with a view to having a more formidable strength in the party and in the affairs of Nigeria as a whole.
His words: “All the members that we invited are here except the Deputy Speaker (Hon. Lasun Yusuf) who is presently out of the country. We met principally to discuss all the things that may be affecting Southwest and we have come out with a resolution to show that in the Southwest of APC there is unity of purpose and that the leadership is one.
“We have resolved on all the issues that may be affecting the governance of this country and what should be the role and the influence that we should exercise as a group in the interest of this country and for the progress of this country.
“We have examined the government that we were all involved is bringing about and we have resolved all the issues and all those that will be taken to Abuja will be taken to Abuja by those concerned. We have related with our legislative members, leaders at the party level and we have related with all our governors. I can assure you from now onward there will be total harmony and consultation among our governors for the progress of Southwest Nigeria. Southwest is the leader of progressives in this country and we are determined to reassert our influence in the progressive politics of this country for the betterment of Nigeria.”