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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The crisis rocking Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, took a turn for the worse as major stakeholders unanimously rejected Isaac Omodewu as state chairman of the party.
Arising from a joint meeting on Wednesday, leaders of the two major zones in the state, Ibadan Main City and Ibadan Outer City, made up of 11 out of the 33 local government areas in the state, condemned the inauguration of Omodewu as the state chairman, adding that the congress that produced him was flawed and had earlier been rejected by the national caretaker committee of the party.
The leaders of the two zones also known as the Progressives Foundation Forum, which was said to have the largest voting population in the state, said it aligned with the other five zonal leaders which had come up with a harmonised list.
They said in the harmonised list which was submitted to the national secretariat of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Adejare Gbadamosi was chairman while other positions had also been agreed upon on zonal basis during one of the several harmonisation meetings of the zonal leaders and stakeholders in the party.
The two zones, according to Nigerian Tribune, have a voting strength of about 57 per cent and are the most populous zones in the state.
Other major stakeholders in the party had on Sunday condemned and rejected the inauguration of Omodewu.
In a statement signed by Senator Ayo Adeseun on behalf of the stakeholders which include Minister of Youths and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare;former Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Senator Olufemi Lanlehin; Senator Soji Akanbi; Senator Fatai Buhari, representing Oyo North Senatorial district; Chief Adebayo Adelabu, gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2019 election; Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chairman of Nigeria Lotteries Regulatory Commission; Professor Adeolu Akande, Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission; Dr Ismail Adewusi, Post-Master General of the Federation; Zacch Adedeji Adelabu, Executive Secretary of Nigerian Sugar Development Council; Chief Joseph Tegbe, a gubernatorial aspirant; Dr Azeez Adeduntan, former Commissioner for Health, and Honourable Wale Murphy Olatunji, Chairman, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), described the inauguration of Omodewu as a threat to the party in Oyo State, adding that the enthronement of a minority group on a majority cannot stand.