Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Irepodun South Local Council Development Area of Osun state, on Thursday, marched peacefully to the palace of Elerin of Erin-Osun in protest against the forth Chairmanship ambition of Hon Kamalideen Oloyede popularly known as Jay Kay.
The agreived members who had earlier converged at the party Secretariat located in front AUD Primary School, Erin Osun marched through the streets of the town and later terminated the protest at the Elerin palace, Oba Yusuf Omoloye Oyegbodun II.
Armed with placards with various inscriptions such as “4th term is abomination”, Erin-Osun Youth Says No To JK 4th Term Ambition”, Mr Governor Must Remove Him from the race” , among others.
The protesters alleged that the Oloyede whom they said has been ruling the LCDA since its creation about seven years ago said they have many other members of the party who are also capable and qualified to lead the council.
They said Oloyede had ruled for three terms in office alleging that he had not shown interest in the contest not until recently he allegedly started threatened that he was the only anointed candidate of the governor and nobody should dare compete against his candidature.
The protesting party members alleged that they have it in good authority that the party leadership was allegedly planning to impose Oloyede on them for the fourth terms which they vowed to resist.
Speaking to Journalists, one of the stakeholders in Irepodun South LCDA, Erin-Osun, Mr Opeyemi Kamilu Yusuf, said that the youth of the party trooped out protest in part of mechanisms to express their discontentment over the alleged Endorsement of the present Chairman by the Governor of the state and the party leadership in the state.
He stated that the people of the local government are not happy with the present situation adding that thousands of APC members are loyal to the present government under the leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, hence the need to give another person chance to take the mantle of the leadership in the LCDA
According to him, ‘We are here today, because for a very long time we are being patient enough on so many issues. One of those issues is that, since the creation of the Irepodun South LCDA, only one Oloyede has been allowed to lead as the Chairman of the council.
“It’s not a big deal for someone to be in office for three terms but the big deal is when someone is unable to unify the party. It is a big deal when someone is in office and there is no considerable level of development within the community
“It’s a big deal when someone is in party and in the position of leadership and all you see is division within the party.”
Echoing a similar views Alhaja Ola, who hails from Ward 7 said there was the need for the change in the leadership position in the LCDA.
Alhaja Ola said: “People have been patient because of the love they have for Mr. Governor in fact if not because of the love we have for Governor Gboyega Oyetola many people would have left the party with the way party have been running
“The incumbent chairman of this local government said that Mr. Governor said he must return. We try as much as possible to get in touch with the office of Mr Governor and we got to know that is a pure lied.
We are using this medium to publicize that the people are lied using Mr Governor’s name blackmailing Governor saying Governor want them again and that people are not happy with the situation.
Also , Hon Olanipekun Qodri urged the Governor to do the bid of majority of people saying all the party leaders in the LCDA were against the fourth term Ambiton of the incumbent Chairman.
JayKay is our son but what we are saying is that, we don’t want him to monopolize the position of the Chairman to him alone. He should allow another person to do it.
“We heard from reliable source that in collaboration with some forces somewhere in Osogbo they are trying to manipulate the results sheets and the process of the primary bid to hold on Saturday
“We are also use this opportunity to cry to the whole world and let Mr Governor and our party chairman Prince Gboyega Famodun be aware that this plot is on going and we will resist any attempt to manipulate or change result sheet of the day of the primary.” They said.
When contacted, Oloyede said he would react at the appropriate time.
