Oyo: Ajimobi Expresses Satisfaction With Peaceful Ward Congress
Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the rescheduled ward congress of the All Progressives Congress held across the state, on Sunday.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the Governor, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, quoted the governor as having said that feelers from the five zones of the state suggested that the exercise went without hitches.
Ajimobi described Saturday’s disturbances at the APC state secretariat, which forced the postponement of the congress till Sunday, as one of those things expected in a political gathering of highly placed political leaders with vested interests.
According to him, followers and supporters of such leaders have been known to instigate crisis in their bid to outdo one another and to impress their principals, who often time were never in support of such violent conducts.
The governor said, “the reports I have heard so far across the state indicate that the congress went peacefully without any form of acrimony or rancour. That is what we have been preaching and I’m happy that the players have embraced peace.
“As the leader of the APC in the state, I’m also father to all and that informed my conciliatory moves. No good father will stand aloof while his children are at loggerheads. Thank God all have been settled now and we have had a peaceful outing today (Sunday).
“As the leader and father to all, I was able to douse the tension that enveloped the party secretariat on Saturday when our supporters were trying to outdo one another. All the APC leaders that came for the stakeholders’ meeting were well protected.
“I even shielded one of our honourable members from the House of Representatives from reprisal attack from those who attempted to assault him. APC is one large family. There may be diverse interests, but we are one.
“I will continue to sue for peace among our leaders and followers, because that is the cardinal programme and achievement of our administration. Our party and administration are known for peace and that must be sustained.”
The governor debunked some newspapers report, which claimed that the incident at the APC secretariat was a ‘bloody violence,’ describing it as exaggeration.
Ajimobi said that none of the security agencies reported any case of bloody violence, advising political leaders to refrain from heating up the polity with their utterances.
