Ayodele Olalere
Former Senator, Musiliu Obanikoro, the chairman, Lagos State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, Cornelius Ojelabi and another party leader, Fuad Oki, were among leaders of the party who, on Tuesday waded into the political crisis rocking Amuwo-Odofin local government area as well as the Ori-Ade local council development area.
Party members in the two council areas have been at loggerheads resulting in the polarisation of the party within the areas.
It is recalled that during the 2023 general elections, the ruling party lost to the Labour Party. The loss was one of the losses the party has experienced in the past elections to the opposition making the two council areas the only places where the opposition always recorded victory.
However at a summit organised on Tuesday by party leaders from the two local governments held in Festac, Obanikoro, Fuad, Ojelabi and other party stalwarts chided party members within the areas for causing disunity which has affected the fortune of the party in past elections.
Fuad Oki in his keynote speech said the loss of APC in Amuwo-Odofin and Ori-Ade council areas at the 2023 elections was as a result of differences and in-fighting among party members in the area.
He lamented that the party has always been losing in the two council areas noting that as another election approaches, the party will still lose if conflicts are not resolved now.
“Everyone here knows why we are losing. In the 2023 elections, the results we achieved were not what we had hoped for. They were profound disappointments. Our supporters were left disappointed. If the local government election is held today, our party will still not win unless we are determined and work together,” he said.
He added:” Some members still have grievances. If you are not disciplined, you can not be a loyal party member.”
Oki urged party members in the two council areas to forgive one another and resolve their differences. He told the party leaders to be friendly and fair to all.
“We must prioritise values like equity and fairness and cultivate environment ripe for growth and unity. Let’s build a party that reflects the significance of Amuwo-Odofin local government and Ori-Ade LCDA.. We must understand party loyalty is important. Stop fighting. You are one of our problems in the state. Why must we have disunity in your local governments? You must change for the better,” he said.
Lagos State Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Cornelius Ojelabi urged the party members in the councils to have attitudinal change. He called for unity among the party members.
He told the party leaders they should be ashamed the party lost to the Labour party in the 2023 election in Amuwo-Odofin
Member, Governance Advisory Council, GAC, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro told the party members to make sacrifice for the party.
“There is no political party where there won’t be a crisis because politics itself is about conflict resolution. Sacrifice is part of the game. Everyone one of you must hold the party in your local governments for everyone’s glory,” Obanikoro said.
The chairman, Amuwo-Odofin local government, Valentine Buraimoh, said the summit was to channel a new part for the party in the area.
“We must do everything to make our party stand tall. We should purge our minds. We should define a way forward for our party,” Valentine said.
A two time House of Reps member who represented Amuwo-Odofin, Ogene Egoh also tribal differences in Amuwo-Odofin s a major factor in deciding election outcomes in Amuwo-Odofin.
He however urged party members to come together and bury their differences and work for the success of the party.
The chairman, organising committee, Ambrose Ahmed said the summit was organised to ensure the party wins subsequent elections in the two council areas.
He said since 1999, the party has always lost to the opposition in the local governments and there is a need to put a stop to it.
“As a party, we must recover our lost glory in Amuwo-Odofin and Ori-Ade local governments,” he said.