Ahead of the forthcoming congress of Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to hold on October 16th, 2021 to elect a new set of party officers, a renowned group, Ife First Advocate (I.F.A) has called on the State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, party leaders and others to zone the position of APC Chairman to Ile Ife.
This was revealed to AMILOADED in a statement on Thursday and signed by the group’s publicity secretary, Comrade Akinleye Akintunde.
The statement reads: “Social and Political issues are intertwined and as much as we may like to maintain our position as apolitical, we are not unaware of the importance of the Social positioning of any group of people as it concerns their share of the commonwealth. In few words, the benefits that accrued to people in a state is a direct function of the relevance of their representatives in the same government.
“Based on the aforementioned, we as a group of people from Ife Federal Constituency with a keen interest in the waves of recent activities in our Political ecosystem are more than convinced that our silence may not be anymore golden at this decisive moment, hence the need for this Media release. After thorough and due consultations, we arrived at a collective position with major bodies and Political stakeholders with a sole demand: Ife Land must be accorded her due place and position in the current political dispensation!
“We hereby unequivocally demand that Ife MUST be given her deserving position Politically as the ruling party in the State APC is currently having her congress to elect a new set of party officers. It’s worthy of note to state clearly that Ife Land had always had a history of strong Progressives Politics which could be traced to the glorious era of HIM Oba Adesoji Aderemi and Chief Omisade in the first and second republics respectively. In the current fourth republic, Ife Federal Constituency had shown massive political strength with her voting pattern in 1999 when Iyiola Omisore was picked as Deputy Governor and in subsequent elections which had shown a clear message: Ife Land will always queue behind a political party which put her interest at the front burner. Now that creams of Ife Land, especially Emeritus Senators Iyiola Omisore, Babajide Omoworare , Sooko Adeleke Adewoyin and a host of others are in the APC, the party must treat Ife the deserved way to tap into her massive reservoir of votes again!
“Ife is now in the mainstream of progressive politics in Osun State but unfortunately, her relevance or position in the hierarchy of relevance in the state (either in Government or Party) is at the lowest ebb. A basic comparison with our Ijesa neighbour who have Minister, Senator, Speaker House of Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the Governor and other key appointments right now in the state will show that Ife as a community needs a rejig in terms of political relevance. A comparison with other Senatorial Districts on the same matter will make Ife Land disappear completely from the state’s political radar. This situation is indeed unacceptable!
“We, therefore, call on the fair-minded and considerate Osun State Governor His Excellency Isiaq Adegboyega Oyetola, the Party Leaders in the State through the position of His Excellency Adebisi Akande and to as a matter of fairness, balance and Political order zone and concede Osun State APC Chairman to Ife in the forthcoming Congress on October 16th,2021. This is an important way to convince the people of Ife Land that APC as a party has an atom of respect for the feelings, yearnings and aspirations of Ifes in the party.
“This statement of request is a joint and collective position of traditional institutions, sociocultural groups, Youth, trade associations, opinion leaders and APC Political leaders in the Ife Federal Constituency. It is indeed prudent that the ruling party treat this demand with fairness and objectivity which it deserves. It is also one way to assure a massive vote for the party in the forthcoming coming election. Thanks.”
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