OSUN PARTIES VOTE IN FACTIONAL IPAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Read Time:2 Minute, 24 Second
By:Tajudeen Aminat
Fourteen registered political parties in Osun State have elected a nine-member executive committee to lead a faction of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), deepening the leadership crisis within the umbrella body ahead of the state’s governorship election.
The executive was elected by affirmation on Monday in Osogbo during a meeting attended by representatives of the participating political parties.
Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Tosin Odeyemi, emerged as chairman of the faction, while Prof. Adigun Adepeju of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was elected deputy chairman.
Other members of the executive include Araoye Kazeem of the Action Alliance (AA) as secretary, Adesuyi Olufemi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as publicity secretary, Mustapha Muideen of the Labour Party (LP) as treasurer, Dr. Gbenga Afeni of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) as organising secretary, Waheed Adediran of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as legal adviser, Tayo Adeyemi of the African Action Congress (AAC) as financial secretary, and Adebayo Olasunkanmi of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) as deputy secretary.
The exercise was witnessed by chairmen and representatives of several political parties, including the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and National Democratic Party (NDP). The electoral committee was chaired by Ezekiel Ayoola of the NDP.
In his acceptance speech, Odeyemi said 16 of the 22 registered political parties in Osun participated in the process, explaining that the decision to constitute a new executive followed the inability of the national leadership of IPAC to fill vacant positions in the state chapter.
He said the leadership vacuum had become a major concern, especially with the governorship election approaching, noting that the absence of a functional IPAC had created uncertainty over who would represent political parties in consultations and engagements ahead of the poll.
Odeyemi added that the participating parties resolved to establish a new executive rather than allow the council to be controlled by individuals pursuing partisan interests.
He pledged that the new leadership would serve as a bridge between political parties and the electorate, protect the interests of member parties, and strengthen democratic participation in the state.
The emergence of the factional executive comes amid a lingering dispute within Osun IPAC after some registered political parties rejected the appointment of a caretaker committee led by Odesola Oluseye Titus of the All Peoples Party (APP).
The disagreement has split the council into rival factions.
Earlier, the Odesola-led caretaker committee had appealed to political parties to embrace unity ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, stressing the need for fairness, integrity, and respect throughout the electoral process.
Speaking during the committee’s inauguration on Monday, Oluseye urged members of IPAC to set aside their differences and work together to strengthen democracy in Osun State, saying all political stakeholders must promote peaceful participation and safeguard the credibility of the election.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0