The Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the All Progressive Congress in Osun State, has said that without cohesion and effective management of the party, it might takes more than ordinary effort for APC to win future elections in the state, AMILOADED reports.
According to TOP, the members of the APC have been frustrated while some elders and stakeholders of the party put on a nonchalant attitude towards redeeming the “unacceptable state of affairs in”.
The group added that there was a clear danger which could have debilitating effects on the electoral fortune of the party.
The TOP Chairman, Rev. Adelowo Adebiyi, made the comment while addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Tuesday.
Adebiyi stated that the TOP members are “genuinely-concerned APC patriots wishing to strengthen the party”.
He added that the group was not a splinter group as being mischievously branded but a caucus within the APC that wants to correct the anomalies in the party.
The Chairman said, “Parties are made up of caucuses. Egbe Omo Oduduwa metamorphosed into the Action Group (AG) in the run up to the First Republic and remained a caucus in the party. The committee of friends as a caucus was the anvil upon which the UPN was formed and has remained so in the successor legacy of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the second republic.
“The Alliance for Democracy (AD), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the APC were all preceded by caucuses of different lives.
“The APC national has many caucuses, just as the state branches of the party have caucuses. Oranmiyan was the platform on which the progressive reclaimed power in Osun in 2010 and remained a caucus in the party. Govenor Adegboyega Oyetola came into power on the platform of Ileri Oluwa which has also remained a caucus in the party.
“We therefore want to state in clear terms that we are not a splinter group that the enemies are associating us with, but genuine concerned party patriots wishing to have a great progressive platform in the party. TOP exists to correct the observed anomaly in APC, which other existing caucuses like Agba Osun turned blind eyes to, and strengthen it for the good of all.”
Adebiyi added, “The state of affairs in the party today is not heart-warming, as the structure is weak and the leadership seams overwhelmed with its management.
“There are no regular meetings at whatever level, where opinions, views and ideas could be aggregated while members are fragmented with unsynthesised outlook towards party ideas. Not an exaggeration, APC members are frustrated.
“It is clear now that Osun APC is being run arbitrary with the rule of thumb as dictatorial tendencies of the party leadership has put several members off, to the extent of their becoming nonchalant towards the party.
“As at today, without internal cohesion and commitment to party ideas, the APC may need more than ordinary efforts to win elections in the state. It is rather sad that party elders and stakeholders put on a nonchalant attitude towards redeeming this unacceptable state of affairs in APC, a clear danger which could have debilitating effects on our electoral fortune.”
He further noted that the TOP mission was not to weaken the party but to strengthen it.
Also speaking at the event, the APC Secretary in the State, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, said he was surprised at the level of noise generated since the formation of TOP, adding that APC has over 300 interest groups with more still encouraged in Osun State.
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