Osun Guber Poll: How Anti-Party, Betrayal Led To Oyetola’s Defeat — Speaker

The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Timothy Owoeye has given an insight into what led to APC’s dismal performance in the governorship election in the state that culminated in the defeat of Governor Gboyega Oyetola at the poll.

Owoeye, on Monday, explained that some factional leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state engaged in anti-party by joining forces with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to betray the former governor and the party.

The speaker, who spoke at the inauguration of the Committee on Repositioning of Osun APC set up by Oyetola, at the Tinubu-Shettima campaign office, in Osogbo, said the party is in the know of clandestine meetings by some of the leaders and PDP, in Ibadan, Oyo State, before the last general elections.

His words: “We will punish all those that are involved in anti-party affairs during the last elections. Those that are loyal to the party wholeheartedly will be rewarded greatly and God will continue to bless you.

He, however, urged the committee to deal decisively with anyone found to have betrayed the party during the last election without fear or favour.

“Some of our party members went to Ibadan to hold conspiracy meetings with PDP; we know that and at the appropriate time, we will expose them. I urge the committee to do justice while reviewing the activities of the party, and recommend appropriate punishment for party members who erred.”

Addressing the gathering, Mr Oyetola said the committee was a product of several meetings between different party stakeholders in the state on the need to chart a new course for the APC in the state.

The former governor said: “To do that, we must also not gloss over some of the challenges caused by the excesses of some members of the party, some lea,ders and elected officials; hence, the inauguration of this committee.”

Chairman of the committee, Professor Isaac Adewole, who spoke on behalf of other members of the committee, said: “We do not doubt that the challenge is enormous, but as committed patriots, we shall, as passionate and caring physicians, propose ideas and strategies to heal our wounds as a progressive family and usher in a new era for the APC in Osun State.”