By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday called a political group in the state known as The Osun Progressives (TOP) not to doubt the party’s resolve to conduct free and fair congress which commences on Saturday.
The APC also blasted members of the group over what it described as a deliberate attempt to frustrate the efforts of the leadership of the party in ensuring that the party remains unbeatable in the coming gubernatorial election.
The party assured members that the congress will be conducted peacefully and transparently.
This was made known in a statement signed by the party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday.
The party noted that those who take pleasure in criticising the leadership of the party and government are creating confusion.
The party said it could be discerned from the way and manner members of the TOP have started painting the APC in the state is with the sole intention of tarnishing the image of the party leadership for selfish reasons.
The party however described the allegation of the TOP, that the State Chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun and the State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola have manipulated the membership register ahead of the party congresses, as unfounded and baseless.
Recall that the TOP Chairman, Adelowo Adebiyi had during a press conference accused Famodun and Governor Oyetola of manipulating the membership register to suit their political permutations.
Adebiyi also accused the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun of high-handedness , saying he has refused to carry along the state Secretary, Deputy Chairman, Auditor, Publicity Secretary and some other members of the state executives who do not tag along with the evil idea of selling the party ideals to the Governor’s group, the Ileri-Oluwa.
The party also denied the claim that the governor manipulated the membership register, saying TOP allegation was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the efforts of the party’s leadership in bid to strengthen the party ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state.
Oyatomi said Adebiyi and his members were just trying to disturb the coming APC Congress for a reason best known to them, noting their recent criticism shows that they are the set of opposition within the same party.
“We hereby state unequivocally that the Adelowo Adebiyi and his propagandists are merely clustering to the congress of the party to make smokescreen names and score undue political relevance for themselves.
“We are surprised with the kind of the allegations and false alarm raised by the members of TOP over the coming party congress which is not peculiar to Osun alone.
“The allegation that the Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and the Governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola manipulated the membership register is unfounded, baseless and deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of a performing Governor.
“We know they have their own hidden plans. They are just trying to disturb the process of the congress because they feel jittery and looking for every means to weaken the party in the state.
“Members of the TOP are kind of monsters who could go extra miles in achieving their ulterior motives. This could be discerned from the way and manner they have painted the leadership of the party but it would not see the light of the day.
“The party therefore urges the national leadership of the party and the entire members of the public to disregard whatever falsehood being sponsored by the splinter group calling themselves caucus members of The Osun Progressives.”
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