The members of the Osun State National Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congress have applauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the entire State.
The delegates also extolled members of the ruling party for their high level of compliance towards ensuring smooth, free, fair, credible and acceptable congress across the 332 wards in the State.
This is even as the APC loyalists and supporters who participated in the process across wards in the State expressed satisfaction at the adoption of consensus mode by the party leadership.
Recall that members of the Committee after their arrival in Osun on Friday evening, during a stakeholders’ meeting, announced their readiness to conduct a credible and transparent Congress in the State.
Addressing journalists shortly after the tour to some of the wards in the State, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, expressed delight at the way and manner the members of the party conducted themselves.
Elegbeleye, who supervised the Congress exercise in all the wards visited, said it was worthy of note that the entire process had been seen, observed and adjudged to be peaceful, orderly and in line with the party’s principles and guidelines.
He noted that the reports gathered so far had reflected the peaceful conduct of the members of the party as demonstrated to elect new party’s officers.
“So far so good, the Congress has been conducted in a free, fair and credible atmosphere. The wards visited so far have been very peaceful as members of the party conducted themselves in a peaceful manner to elect their new officers across the registered 332 wards in the State.
“We were able to see the members agreeing on who will oversee the affairs of the party as new executive officers in all the wards we have visited.
“Though the party agreed on consensus for the conduct of the Congress, in case there is any disagreement, then, they will vote. Anywhere the members feel they don’t like a particular candidate, then they can vote.
“But in a situation where for instance we have about a hundred members and eighty-five of them agreed on a particular candidate and fifteen disagreed, there is nothing to vote about. One must have known that the majority have their way,” he added.
While fielding questions from journalists during the tour of the Committee to Iragbiji, the country home of the State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, the governor lauded the members of the party for turning out in large numbers to elect new officers of the party at wards level.
Oyetola also extolled the peaceful conduct of the exercise across the 332 wards in the State.
“Well, you have seen things for yourselves and thank God it is been very peaceful. Members of the party are here in their large numbers, just as the Congress has been done in line with the directive of the National Secretariat of the party.
“It has been peaceful all through as we all agreed to use the principle of consensus to elect those that will be overseeing the affairs of the party in their various wards.
“I am glad the way everything has been going so far. As you can see that people are very happy here in my ward. It can’t be otherwise because we had a consensus agreement across the nine federal constituencies in the State and I am glad that members of the party have been allowed to exercise their rights in this regard.
“I must appreciate those who have contributed to the success of the conduct, particularly members of the press who have been very supportive,” Oyetola added.
Earlier, the Osun Caretaker Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famodun, hailed the party members for adhering to and complying with consensus mode.
According to him, the report so far across the State has indicated that the Congress has been very peaceful and orderly as it has affirmed the decision of the party to consider the consensus.
As at the time of filing this report, the Committee members had visited Ward 04, the ward of the former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Adebisi Akande in Ila-Orangun, Ila Local Government Area; Ward 04, Igbajo, Boluwaduro Local Government; Ward 01, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government among others.
