The end may not be in sight to the crisis rocking Osun state chapter of the All Progressives congress. This is on the heels of parallel ward congress held by a faction of the party in the state as a against the directive of the party executive which adopted consensus candidature.
On the eve of ward congress for the party, the party structure led by the governor Adegboyega Oyetola, former deputy governors Iyiola Omisore, Titi-Laoye Tomori and Sooko Adewoyin, speaker of the state house of assembly Timothy Owoeye and the state party caretaker chairman Gboyega Famoodun among other to party leaders met with the National Congress Committee to state their decision in adopting consensus candidates to fill the ward congress.
Expectedly however, faction loyal to former governor and minister for interior Rauf Aregbesola known as The Osun Progressives went ahead to conduct election via direct primary option and affirmation in their various strongholds.
Earlier on Friday, youths loyal to TOP went on a protest accusing the state governor of hijacking party officials from Abuja asking for a free and fair process where members of the party ward executives will be elected and not ratified through consensus.
As at the time of filing this report, parallel congress were held in places like Ward 8 otan-ile Ibokun local Government, ward 4 Ejigbo local government which is the ward of former speaker of the state house of assembly Rt. Hon Folassyo salaam.
Speaking with journalists after the exercise, Folassyo Salam, a strong ally of Rauf Aregbesola and staunch member of Top accused the national congress committee of holding stakeholders meeting with only a section of the party leadership in the state thereby bringing suspicion to the motive of the committee and casting doubt on the result of the ward congresses.
Folasayo Salaam further stated that he may not want to pass judgement on the conduct of the national congress committee because of the integrity of the persons in the committee, he however asserted that the battle may be long from over if the result of the parallel congresses held are eventually rejected or not recognised.
Listen to the interview granted by Rt. HON Folasayo Najeem salaam
