VAM News

In a bid to reposition the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, the recently constituted Repositioning Committee on Friday, presented its reports to the leadership of the party, calling for the investigation and resolution of the killing of APC members in Osun during the electioneering.

The eleven-member Committee, chaired by the former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole while submitting the report to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign office, Osogbo, reiterated that Oyetola, remains the leader of the party in the State, in accordance with the party’s Constitution.

This is even as Oyetola assured party members the leadership would ensure full implementation of the recommendations therein.

Adewole who noted that the Committee had successfully done justice to the terms of reference informing its constitution as manifested in the recommendations and suggestions put forward for implementation, said it is sacrosanct for the party leadership to invoke disciplinary measures on the erring members of the party forthwith.

He explained that the 72 memoranda submitted to the Committee were fairly treated and the recommendations being presented to the leaders of the party for consideration and implementation were direct products of the submissions made by critical stakeholders of the party when they appeared before the committee.

Adewole added: “Recall that on Monday, May 1st, 2023, Your Excellency set up a Committee on APC party Repositioning.

“The Committee invited memoranda from members of the party and stakeholders and embarked upon oral interviews and visitations to elicit additional relevant information.

“The Committee worked with stakeholders to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the failure at the poll and individuals in the party on how to reposition the party for future state and national elections.

“Having read through all the memoranda submitted and considering the oral presentations made by some stakeholders, the Committee has therefore come up with specific time-tested recommendations which if implemented, will reposition the party for better victory in the 2026 election.

“We recommend for immediate implementation of the need to strengthen the party structures in line with the Constitution of the party and under no circumstances should political office holders of the party be allowed to lord themselves over members of the party in their wards or takeover the duties of the structures of the party before, during and after every election at ward level.

“Curbing Internal Disputes: it is recommended that members of the party who engaged in anti-party activities during 2022 and 2023 elections should be made to face disciplinary actions in accordance with the relevant provisions of the party constitution.

‘Paving a Smooth Way for Crisis-free Primary Elections: the party should encourage aspirants to run issue-based campaigns and while choosing candidates for future elections, Article 20 of the Constitution of the Party should be adhered to, and the mode of primary elections whether direct or indirect should not be adopted just to favour a particular candidate.

“There is need for negotiation with interest groups in the state to further strengthen the existing cordiality. There must be improved funding of party activities where the party would be allowed through the State Executive Council to raise funds for the party from individuals, though not occupying appointive or elective positions, but have benefitted from the government produced by the party.

“Strengthen the Party Discipline; Reward System; Party Supremacy; Youth Empowerment; Strengthen Relationship with Security and other government Agencies; Promotion of Regular Political Meeting; Re- composition of Present Party-executive Across the Ward, Local and State Levels.

“Mr Adegboyega Oyetola should remain the leader of the party; Preparation for the 2026 Election Should Begin in Earnest; There must be good Management of Critical Information in the Media; Factor in Fairness and Justice in Rewarding Party Members.

“SWOT standing committee should be established to undertake periodic assessment; Establishment of a Shadow Government; Support to Students Groups, civil society groups and journalists; Revalidation of Party Membership Register; Electoral Performances Should be a Basis for Reward.

“Collapsing Political Interest Groups After Elections; Funding of Electioneering Campaigns Should be Better Managed; Funding of Election Logistics through prompt release of funds.

“Creation of Strategic and Special Directorates such as, Organisation, Publicity, Women, Youths, Welfare, Civil Societies and Trade Unions, Students Union Governments; Resolution of all Murder Cases among others.”

In his short remarks, Oyetola commended the Chairman and members of the Committee for their sacrifice to get the party repositioned saying no stone would be left unturned at building a virile and formidable party in the state.

Oyetola disclosed that the implementation committee would be set up to look into the recommendations for appropriate implementation by all and sundry.

He said the party would continue to harness its resources to take care of the interest of the youth, women and the generality of the party members saying “we shall empower them to find useful expressions for their innate talents, skills and competencies so that they can contribute their quota to the development of the party, the State and Nigeria at large.”

“We have listened carefully to the report. The next step will be for the party to set up an implementation Committee which shall review the recommendations and take appropriate step to implementing the recommendations without much ado.

“Once the recommendations are implemented, we would have resolved to work together as a family to sustain the progress, peace and development of APC in Osun State.

“We assure you all that we shall implement the recommendations of this committee in a manner that will indeed help to reposition the party, which is the main objective of setting up the committee in the first instance.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the chairman and members of this Committee for sacrificing their time and resources to serve APC at this critical moment in our history”, Oyetola added.

Earlier, the APC State Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeem Lawal extolled the members of the Committee for investing their time and other God-given endowments for the crucial party assignment entrusted to them.

“The event of today is not for too much talk but actions which would be in the best interest of our party and subsequently benefit the members and supporters in particular and the people of the state in general.

“I want to assure our leaders and all the members and supporters of our party that all the recommendations of the repositioning committee shall be implemented in order to improve the fortune of our party in the state”, Lawal added.