By Kehinde Ayantunji
Strong indication emerged on Wednesday that Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Forum has been divided over the agitation to micro zone the APC governorship ticket in the coming July 7 party’s primary to Osun West Senatorial District.
Some of the elders of the party on Tuesday boycotted a meeting held at the residence of the Chairman of the forum, Chief Sola Akinwumi, a former Secretary to the State Government.
OSUN DEFENDER learnt that some party elders mainly from Osun West and East Senatorial District resolved to sign resolution to be submitted to the governor and the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on the need to zone governorship position to Osun West Senatorial District.
According to a source at the meeting, some of the Osun central members of the forum boycotted the meeting over perceived biasness of some elders with particular reference to the influence of Elder Peter Babalola and Alhaji Moshood Adeoti who are governorship aspirants and at the same time members of the forum who attended the meeting.
A prominent member of the forum from Osun Central told our correspondent that some of them were not comfortable with the level of biasness openly displayed by some elders who have already shown interest in some aspirants and making efforts to use the elders’ forum to build support for their preferred candidate.
But despite the boycott, the elders forum were said to have held the meeting and resolved to zone the governorship ticket to the West and mobilized some party chairmen most especially from Osun west to take part in the decision to be forwarded to the governor , Chief Bisi Akande and the national secretariat of the party.
The elders were reportedly hell bent on the issue of zoning and have resolved to dare anyone who want to deny them the governorship slot since 1992 that the late governor Isiaka Adeleke was the Governor for about 22 months.
It was also learnt that the elders from the west have advised the 20 aspirants from the district to present three consensus aspirants from the three federal constituencies to form a formidable force against other senatorial districts but the task seems difficult as all the aspirants are reinforcing their chances of winning and it appeared no one is ready to sacrifice the ambition.
As at the time of filing this report, members of the elders forum from Osun central and Osun East are also holding strategic meetings in various locations to also present a counter position and collate signatures against micro-zoning the governorship position.
One of the APC local government party chairmen from Osun East who was part of the meeting but pleaded anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter said their contention is that zoning had never been a criteria in the party and it would be a dangerous dimension in future elections.
This is the first time since 2010 that the apex body of the APC will exhibit sharp disagreement since the inception of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.
Meanwhile, the state party Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun on Wednesday reiterated the party position to follow the party constitution by conducting a transparent primary and allow all eligible aspirants to participate.
Famodun who was apparently responding to the open agitation for zoning by the supporters of Elder Peter Babalola, one of the aspirants from the west said, the party respects their demands and the support of the zone since 1999 but the party constitution would be followed.
He said the party cannot edged out any one who is interested in the governorship position and urged all the aspirants to work hard in winning the party primary saying, “I am the father of West, Central and East in the party, we must provide a level playing ground for everybody, that is the constitution of our party and that is where we are standing”.
