By Kayode Adeoti
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Offa Local Government, Kwara State converged at the state party secretariat in Ilorin on Tuesday to protest against zoning of chairmanship ticket to Ojomu/Balogun constituency.
They posited that the constituency has produced many political personalities in the government, adding that other constituencies who have not benefited should be given opportunity in the forthcoming local government elections.
They argued that position of the chairmanship should be thrown opened to the general public, saying zoning will only decimate the party and its chances of winning the poll.
Among those said to have come from theย ย Ojomu/Balogun constituency are: the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe, the present Transition Implementation Chairman (TIC), SA on Special Duties to Governor Abdufatah Ahmed, Evangelist Felicia Faremi and SA Media, Dr Muheedeen Akorede.
They however beckoned on the party leadership to intervene in the matter, adding that the system is against the modus operandi of the party and that it is against the directive of the party leader, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
The aggrieved group further clamoured that 16 out of 24 executives members of the party in Offa Local Government, 10 out of 12 ward chairmen, 12 wards secretariats, 11 of the 12 ward vice chairmen, nine of the 12 wards youths leaders and nine of the 12 ward women leaders has kicked against zoning method.
The letter forwarded to the party secretariat in Ilorin also stated that โ…Offa stakeholders forum of the party had met in line with the directives of His Excellency, who graciously permitted Offa LGA to go back home to review the contentious issues of zoning as a strategy for the emergence of council candidates.
โWe are very sad to report to you that we, both the local excos and the body of ward chairmen are not happy with the way and manner the stakeholders’ forum had handled the matter. The stakeholders failed to convey the resolution reached at the meeting at which we were also represented. It was unfortunate, sir!
โAs very important and constitutional party organs, we met again on the 10th September, 2017 to review the issue of zoning which had become the main issue. At the end of the said meeting, we, by the majority, resolved that we do not agree with the issue of zoning in Offa LGA as a strategy of processing the emergence of council chairmanship candidates.
