By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
A group, Progressive Minded People (PMP) has alleged that over 18,000 forms given to the party officials from Abuja for the recently conducted Ward Congress in Osun state were paid for in bulk, on a single teller, and collected from the officials by an official loyal to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The spokesperson of the group, Sunday Oriolowo, who made the allegation stated that evidence to back up the claim would be made available to the public at the appropriate time.
He said, “we have it on good authority that over 18,000 forms given to the party officials from Abuja were paid for in bulk on a single teller and collected from the officials by an official loyal to the governor as against our party’s Ward Congress Guidelines.
“This information is verifiable and evidence exist to back this up when the time comes.
It therefore smirks of dishonesty and utmost irresponsibility for agents of government to attempt to muzzle the media and threaten responsible journalist who are diligently finding out the truth and publishing for the entire world to see what transpired in Osun.
“Officials of the National Secretariat of our party had informed us that three officials of the party led by one Abdullahi had been dispatched to the state on Sunday 25th July, 2021 to carry out necessary preparations for the coming congress. Their term of reference includes the sale of forms to interested contestants amongst others.
“Consequently, majority of the party members in the state proceeded to the bank to pay for the forms as directed by the party guidelines. However, we were surprised when on Wednesday, 28th July 2021 – the day the payment for the forms was supposed to close- we still hadn’t seen the officials who were sent to Osun for the assignment.
“Findings revealed that the national party officials who were sent to the state had actually arrived Osun, but were held incommunicado by officials loyal to the governor. Many members of the party were then forced to pick up their form from our national headquarters in Abuja.
“Of course, it is true that the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Committee for Osun State Ward Congress, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye arrived the state less than 12 hours to the congress and held a meeting with selected individuals inside the governor’s house, however, we would like to know if he asked about the whereabout of the officials sent ahead from Abuja to sell forms to majority of the party members.”
