By Jeleel Olawale
The chairman, Ife-East chapter of the All Progressive Congress has described as unimportant the The Osun Progressive (TOP), a splinter group within the APC.
He said the group cannot stop the re-election of governor Adegboyega Oyetola come July, 2022, stressing that the group is not a registered political party, hence it cannot produce candidate for election.
Akintifonbo who made the disclosure in an interview with our correspondent, said members of TOP are just wasting their time as they are not recognized by the national headquarters of the party.
“They are practical jokers, what they are doing is a joke taken too far. They are just wasting their time on fruitless agenda and they are not in the mainstream of the party in the state.
The main cause of the crisis is that members of TOP especially those who worked with former governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola want to continue in government which the present administration resists and that is what brings about the splinter group”.
The APC chairman stressed that activities of TOP showed that the group may decamp or working to undermine the party in the coming governorship poll in the state. According to him, it is good for them to leave rather than working as enemy within.
“Membership of political party is free because there is free exit in political party. The party has held series of meeting with them but they remained adamount. I had invited them several time for meeting, they attended but suddenly boycotted subsequent meeting called in Ife-East.
We have not foreclosed reconciliation with them. They have no interest of the party at heart. TOP has no effect considering the influx of the people in APC. The membership drive embarked upon by the party has been keeping it going. We need to come together to win the forthcoming governorship poll”.
Akintifonbo noted that TOP held its congress but was not supervised by the national officers of the party, INEC officials and security agents which are prerequisites of valid congress.
He said the merger the party had with Social Democratic Party (SDP) and eventual defection of SDP members into the APC helped the party tremendously, urging TOP members to stop playing God.
Speaking on the achievements of the present administration in the state, the party chairman said the governor had done well in the area of agriculture, infrastructural development, education, social welfare, workers’ welfare, health sector, security, economy, traditional institution, among other achievements.
He, however, enjoined citizens to continue supporting the present administration in the state with a view to continuing enjoying dividend of democracy in the state.
