It Will Be Suicidal Denying Alao-Akala Leadership Of Oyo APC

By Dapo Falade

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Elder Kayode Bamiduro, has said it will be suicidal if former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala is denied the leadership of the  state chapter of the party.

Bamiduro, a chieftain of APC in Egbeda Local Government Area and former Special Assistant Media to immediate past governor of the state, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said this in response to the claims of some party members that Alao-Akala was not qualified to lead the party in the state.

In a statement issued on Thursday, he said, after the demise of Senator Ajimobi, it would be suicidal for any right-thinking APC member to say that Alao-Akala was unqualified to take over the leadership of the party in the state.

According to him, the leadership qualities of the Ogbomoso-born grassroots politician were undisputable and he remains the only former governor in the party and who could also boast of having robust presence and representatives in all the 33 local government areas of Oyo State.

He said the former leader of the APC in the state, the late Senator Ajimobi, must have realised the importance of Alao-Akala, shortly before his demise, which informed his decision to set up the Oyo APC Reconciliation Committee, with his predecessor as the head of the committee.

“Party faithful should disregard Adebayo Shittu’s [former Minister of Communications] vituperation and ranting because. It is his usual way of seeking attention.

“I appeal to the Lamists and the Unity Groups at large to join hands with like minds in SENACO to meet with Otunba Alao-Akala to fashion out the way forward for the party to position it for future elections,” he added.

Bamiduro further noted that, for any progress to be recorded in the party, all hands must be on deck and suspicion must be done away with, adding that ambition must be put aside in order to build a strong progressive party under a new order.

He, however, advised members of the reconciliation committee to be transparent in their assignment and shun any form of retaliatory motive in the course of their assignment and also prayed that God will grant them wisdom to accomplish the tasks ahead.