•Fears PDP, LP may exploit rift
All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat has intervened in the rift between Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and his predecessor, Segun Osoba, raising hopes of settlement amid fears of opposition parties cashing in.
A panel has been constituted to ascertain the grievances, to forestall playing into the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) now positioning themselves to outwit the APC in the ballot next year.
The panel will meet on May 20.
The feud between Amosun and Osoba has polarised the APC so much that their loyalists have held parallel ward, council and state congresses.
The battle is over the control of party machinery.
Amosun considers himself the state APC leader, being the Governor, but Osoba feels otherwise, since he is a national leader of the party and former Governor.
Besides, he played a prominent role in the election of Amosun in 2011.
Before now the two men had tried to keep their disagreement private but their loyalists betrayed them through allegations and counter allegations, and by holding separate ward, council and state congresses.
It became pronounced after the state congress on April 26, in which the Amosun faction produced Roqueeb Adeniji as Chairman. The Osoba group picked Olu Agemo and criticised the move to inaugurate the executive members of their rival.
Osoba’s loyalists took a full page advertisement in a national newspaper which disparaged the inauguration, claiming it was not sanctioned by the APC national secretariat.
TheNiche learnt a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, is worried about the crisis and has demanded that it be resolved in time, in the interest of the party. He does not want to offend either antagonist.
Amosun has never stated publicly any grievance between him and Osoba.
But Osoba has explained that his grievance against Amosun is not personal but hinged on the welfare of over 12,000 agents and millions of party members neglected by the government.
“My grouse with Amosun is based on issues and justice and how to move the party forward and not any personal interest as being insinuated in some quarters,” he said.
State APC spokesman, Sola Lawal, confirmed that the two men are ready to sit down and discuss.
He said “there is no special preparation anywhere, we are only craving that the party should be one. We hope that the national secretariat will resolve the problem.”
Lawal added that elections have been conducted, witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies; winners have emerged and people exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship.
