Ward congress: Osun APC youths protest alleged hijacking of forms
Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo
Some youths under the aegis of Progressive Youth Movement have accused Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun of committing electoral fraud ahead of tomorrow’s ward congress of the party.
The youths who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State staged a protest along Gbongan-Ibadan road, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo, today.
They alleged Oyetola and Famodun of hijacking the nomination forms brought by some national officials of the APC.
According to the group, the national officials who came to Osogbo last week Saturday were camped at a hotel under security surveillance and were barred from relating with other members of the party in the state.
The protesting youths called on the Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to intervene in the matter and ensure that there is free and fair ward congress in the state.
One of the leaders of the group, Rasheed Raji, said: “We are here to protest the electoral fraud being committed by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun. The two leaders of the party are clearly killing APC in the State of Osun.
“Our party at the national level sent committee members led by one Abdullahi down to Osun since last week Saturday to begin sales of form and preparation for the congress. But ever since they arrived, the committee members are nowhere to be found. They are not either at the State Party Secretariat or any other place carrying out their national duty.
“Thousands of our members have paid for the nomination forms to participate in the ward congress but were not given form. Only members of Governor Oyetola’s group, IleriOluwa were given form. This is a plan to manipulate the congress. The National Secretariat of our party should know this.
“We wanted to take our protest to the State Secretariat of our party but the Governor has stationed political thugs there. They planned to attack us and we do not want bloodshed. But our voice will be heard. We don’t want consensus in Osun and the congress committee should be allowed to do its job.”
