The end to the crises in the Oyo chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may not be insight as some stalwarts of the party boycotted a reconciliation meeting held over the weekend.
The meeting, which was presided over by a former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, had been envisaged to bring together all aggrieved members of the party to the round table.
The peace committee had been initiated by the immediate past governor of the state, late Abiola Ajimobi, who before his sudden demise few months ago, had set up and inaugurated a 16-man peace committee to reconcile aggrieved members of the party in the state.
The peace committee, which has as chairman, Chief Alao Akala with Prince Gbade Lana as secretary, had called a peace meeting at the weekend to hold discussions with aggrieved members with a view to settling all the crises in the party.
Recall that Alao-Akala had prior to the meeting said all the major blocks in the party were ready to return to the APC fold and ensure the party returned in full force soonest.
However, major stakeholders among who were former minister, commissioners, lawmakers and other stalwarts of the party shunned the meeting, in what seems a blow to the peace effort.
Among those that distanced themselves from Alao-Akala’s peace meeting were; Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, immediate past Deputy Governor, Moses Alake-Adeyemo, immediate past Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, and a former Chief of Staff to late Ajimobi, Professor Adeolu Akande.
Also, former deputy governor to ex-Governor Lamidi Adesina, Barrister Iyiola Oladokun, Hon Yunus Akintunde, Fatai Ibikunle, Bayo Adewusi, Sen. Adesoji Akanbi, Senator Ayo Adeseun.
Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku, Hon. Dapo Lam-Adesina, Abiodun Olasupo, Hon. Taiwo Michael Akintola, Hon. Sunbo Olugbemi, Hon. Sunday Adepoju, Akeem Agbaje, Ayodeji Kareem, Isiaka Alimi, Ajiboye Omodewu, Goke Oyetunji and other prominent members of the party were also absent.
One of the aggrieved members, Rotimi Ajanaku said he had no knowledge of any reconciliation meeting, adding that he was surprised that he was not invited to the meeting
Ajanaku, who spoke Monday through his media aide, Mr Adebowale Adeoye, said that he was surprised that the reconciliation committee could sideline him and other stalwarts of the party.
“Ajanaku was never invited to the meeting by the reconciliation committee. The only meeting he was invited to was the one called by the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, on Friday.
“Dare said that the meeting was called with the aim of strengthening our party in Oyo state. But unfortunately, after contacting some stakeholders, and he (Ajanaku) discovered that some strong stakeholders were not invited and it was not called by reconciliation committee, then he decided not to attend the Friday meeting.
“The minister that called the Friday meeting was also absent at the Saturday meeting called by the so-called reconciliation committee.
“The absence of the key stakeholders at the meeting showed that the APC is still in crisis. Ajanaku and other genuine APC stalwarts are ready for genuine reconciliation and not partial reconciliation where some members would be shut or not invited”.
