A lecture organised to mark what was called the 10th anniversary of progressive governance in Osun State has been cancelled by the organisers following the interventions of the party leaders at the national level, particularly, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The APC caucus of the National Assembly members made this known in a statement issued out by Mr Remi Ibitola, Senior Adviser on Media to Senator Basiru Ajibola representing Osun Central federal constituency in the National Assembly.
The statement read: “To err on the side of peace and to defer to different interventions by party leaders at the national level, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the legislators have decided to step down the lecture so as to make room for party cohesion.”
The APC caucus which stated that the lecture was organised by them and not Aregbesola as believed in some quarters, said, “Although the legislators viewed their contribution from a broader perspective hoping to make it an epoch-making occasion to boost the morale of its members and the progressives family in the state, the effort was misinterpreted and misconstrued to be an affront to the governor.”
It stressed also that, “The legislators have earlier agreed to the topic of the lecture as “Ten years of uninterrupted progressive government in Osun and it was a form of social awareness and sensitization of the good people of Osun to know and appreciate the concepts and benefits of the state’s administration under our progressive party.”
“But unknown to the lawmakers, their innocent contribution was not well received in some circle where the legislators’ efforts were seen as disruptive to the activities marking the two years of the governor in office.
“This has generated a lot of undercurrents of misgivings which contributed in sponsorship of stories in the newspapers alleging that the legislators may be planning to cause civil unrest.
“The first sign that mischief-makers may have polluted the genuine motive of the lecture which was conceived and considered to have the capability to further unity of the party in the state and mobilise the party was the emergence of an unsigned statement emanating from some members of the House of Representatives, who appeared under intense pressure put up a rather terse statement that they are committed to 2nd year anniversary of Governor Oyetola as if the public lecture was not the event planned by the caucus as its contribution to the 2nd year anniversary programme of the Governor, as it was done for the first year with a football tournament.”
“The decision to have the public lecture was taken on Tuesday 17th November 2020 by the caucus in a meeting held in the Office of Senator Oriolowo at the Senate Wing of the National Assembly at about 4 pm.
“The meeting decided that it was necessary to sustain the gains of an earlier solidarity visit to the Governor by following up with the public lecture.”
“At the meeting, Senator Oriolowo and Hon. L. B. Ayeni were nominated to liaise with key stakeholders like Chief Bisi Akande, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Prince Gboyega Famodun. Hon Taiwo Oluga was expected to tidy up the use of one of the two facilities nominated at the meeting, namely: the Centre for Black Culture or the WOCDIF building.
“Therefore, the lecture was a decision of the legislators and not organised by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as falsely reported by some sections of the media, traditional and social.
“To err on the side of peace and to defer to different interventions by party leaders at the national level, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the legislators have decided to step down the lecture so as to make room for party cohesion.
