Sodiq Yusuf
The nomination of the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the 2023 governorship election in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu as a member of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet is causing ripples in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Investigations by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that immediately the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio announced Adelabu’s name on Thursday, some members of the party took to the media to express their displeasure over the President’s choice.
Some of the stakeholders who berated the decision of President Tinubu, wondered why a member of the opposition party would be selected to represent the party and the state in the Federal Executive Council.
Adelabu, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was the APC flag bearer in the 2019 governorship election in the state.
OSUN DEFENDER learnt that the ex-banker left the party last year when it was clear that Senator Teslim Folarin was going to clinch the party’s ticket for the March 19, 2023 gubernatorial poll.
The displeased members of the party who have taken to their social media and mainstream media platforms to berate Adelabu’s nomination, tagging it a reward of those who worked against the party’s success in the last general election.
Why We Are Unhappy With Adelabu’s Nomination – Group
Some members of the party loyal to Senator Teslim Folarin said the Accord Party guber candidate has always been reaping from where he did not sow.
A former aide to ex-first lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, Funke Adesiyan said it is also a wrong political calculation to have the Governor and the Minister in a state come from the same town.
The statement reads: “The list of ministerial nominees was released and to our utmost dismay, utter disappointment and consternation, it is greeted with the appointment of a man who does not only fail to represent a good demography of Oyo people, but a loafer who is not a valid and consistent member of our political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Oyo State Chapter.
“It is an aphorism when meddlesome interlopers, uncommitted, ship-jumping, inconsistent loungers continue to reap where they have not sown, it pours the cold water of misery, lack of dedication and bouts of unrewarded commitment into the hearts of dedicated hardworkers.
“It is against this background that I join the entire members and party leaders of our great party, the APC in Oyo state and indeed the entire people of Oyo state to reject this insensitive and unmerited appointment.
“I make bold to say that we will not concede to delusion in the name of party loyalty and allow a man who was and is still the architect of the party’s perennial electoral misfortune in the State clinch the highest political position available to rally the already hapless and hopeless party members in the State as a succor of last resort.
“It is on record that the Ministerial nominee, Bayo Adelabu with a proven knack for always reaping where he has not sown was equally foisted on the party and by extension the good people of Oyo state by Late H.E Abiola Ajimobi as the Candidate of the party in the year 2019 even though he was not a valid card-carrying member of our political party prior to his hurried nomination as the Party standard bearer.
“Little wonder he was roundly defeated in the election and the subsequent one under another obscure political party, Accord Party, where he is still a member, in quick succession- another ingenious reflection of his wide unacceptability, two-face prongs and duality of personality.
“Whilst I wish to congratulate able Nigerians who made the ministerial list presented by Mr President, however, we the people of Oyo state reject this particular Ministerial nominee and we implore our listening President to kindly reconsider this appointment.
“For equality and peaceful coexistence of all of us (Oyo, Ibadan, Ogbomosho, Okeogun1 and Oke Ogun 2), both the Governor and Minister can not be from Ibadan- as this will not just be unjust, unfair, but a total desecration of the nation’s long-held ideals of federal character,” Adesiyan noted.
Adelabu’s Nomination Reward For Capacity, Competence – Aide
The media assistant to Chief Adelabu, Comrade Femi Awogboro lashed out at his principal’s critics, stressing that President Tinubu has selected the best in the former banker for the job.
Awogboro said as a thorough bred technocrat, Adelabu was nominated to bring to bear his rich experience and expertise in economic and financial management in the federal cabinet.
In an exclusive chat with OSUN DEFENDER in Ibadan over the weekend, the ministerial nominee’s spokesperson held that those attacking him know are aware of his competence, which earned him the President’s nod.
His words: “It is rather unfortunate that those who parade themselves as “genuine” members of the party are casting aspersions on the eligibility of our principal because he according to them ‘did not actively participate in the election of President Tinubu.’
“While we do not want to join issues with these elements, we wish to state that Chief Adelabu is eminently qualified to serve in the Federal Executive Council. Apart from his personal accomplishments as a First Class brain, the nominee from Oyo State possesses the rich experience to handle critical national assignments for the nation.
“Adelabu is well-read, exposed, an investor in the economy of Oyo State, a former executive director at First Bank, a former deputy governor of the nation’s apex bank, and many more. What else do they want that this man does not have? He is a proven technocrat with resounding successes to his name.
“His nomination, therefore, should be a thing of joy to the APC family in Oyo State. It is one that restates President Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians to select the best brains to make up his team of experts and experienced hands to fulfil his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Adelabu believes so much in the manifesto and will do everything to ensure that all the lofty initiatives are wired to benefit Nigerians. We urge committed members of Oyo APC to join hands with Chief Adelabu to rebuild the Oyo APC so as not to allow the ‘chalartans’ that hijacked it prior to the last general election cost the party further electoral defeats, particularly, at the state level.”
Party Leaders Meet
The leadership of the APC in Oyo State met on Saturday to review the party’s performance in the last general elections.
According to the state Youth Leader of the party in the state, Akin Akinwale, those who attended the meeting included HE Iyiola Oladokun, HE Engr Rauf Olaniyan, Chief Akin Oke, Chief Jolaoso, Pa. Abu Gbadamosi, Pa. Gbayawu, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, Engr. Hakeem Alao, Asiwaju Yemi Aderibigbe, Hon. Afeez Bolaji Repete, Prof. Abideen Olaiya and Barr. Akeem Agbaje.
Akinwale further said Hon. Tolu Akande Sadipe, the State Honourables and the entire State Executive Committee of the APC were also present.
He said during the meeting, the party leaders reached numerous resolutions, while appropriate actions will be taken accordingly.
Part of the decisions reached was the participation of the party in the March 2024 local government election in the state.
The stakeholders at the meeting, however, said they were maintaining their calm owing to a directive from the national headquarters of the party that state chapters should open their hands to receive those who may want to return ‘home’.
It also emerged at the stakeholders’ meeting that the national headquarters’ call for calm was due to feelers that Adelabu, after his expected confirmation as minister, planned to stage a rally to announce his return to the APC from Accord Party.
OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered that the ministerial nominee has directed his followers to remove all his posters and billboards reflecting the Accord Party insignia and replace them with those bearing the logo of the All Progressives Congress APC.
