Internal panic is gripping the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a mass exodus of Senator Iyiola Omisore’s loyalists threatens to break the party from within.
Insiders attribute the mounting apprehension to what they described as the Omisore’s growing discontent with the skewed APC structure and political manipulation in the Living Spring state.
The insiders hinted that loyalists of Omisore, the party’s former National Secretary are aggrieved that having contested for the APC governorship ticket against Mr Bola Oyebamiji before he was disqualified along with six other aspirants, there should have been genuine moves to assuage frayed nerves.
Unfortunately, efforts for reconciliation seem elusive as the Omisore group is unhappy that the Party’s hierarchy bluntly refused its request for legislative tickets consideration as part of deal to accommodate varying interest.
Consequently, over seven prominent members of the Omisore group within the APC have resigned from the party without stating the reasons for their resignation within the last one week.
Among those who have left the party are a former Education Commissioner, Oladoyin Bamisayemi; Commissioner for Political Matters, Taiwo Akeju; Special Adviser on Higher Education, Jamiu Olawumi; and former State Lawmaker, Adeyeye Olajide.
This is as some APC members have taken to social media to slam the chieftains’ decision to dump the political platform, just few months to the State governorship election.
A top APC member and former Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor, Funso Fagbohungbe described Oladoyin Bamisayemi’s move as that of an ingrate, following the latter’s claim of slavery within the party.
According to Fagbohungbe, having served as a two-term lawmaker and Commissioner for Education for twelve years, Bamisayemi lack moral right to accuse APC of enslaving party members.
He further stated that: “It is time we take them up for their lies. Bamisayemi served as a two-term lawmaker under Aregbesola, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola appointed him Commissioner for Education, yet he accused the party of enslaving members.
“His origin is the PDP, and now that he returns to his original party affiliation, he should not accuse our party wrongly.”
Meanwhile, with the defectors yet to openly declared their next destination, speculations are rife that some of them may be heading to Accord Party where they would throw their support behind the their gubernatorial candidate and incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
However, available reports indicate that one of the defectors, Jamiu Olawumi was sighted at the Accord party campaign media office along with members of the committee, suggesting that they are joining or working for the Governor’s re-election bid.
