It appears the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State is affecting the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise as some loyalists of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun were reportedly prevented from being registered in some local governments.
The Amosun supporters told our correspondent that they were not allowed to partake in the exercise.
In some words, the registration officials were accused of deliberately delaying the exercise for unknown reasons.
Also, our correspondent gathered that there were no party officials in some polling units, fuelling speculations that the exercise might be taking place in places known to loyalists of Governor Dapo Abiodun only.
In a video made available to GoldennewsNG from Imeko-Afon Local Government, the APC representative, Ismaila Aregbe of Unit 9 Imeko ward, stated in clear terms that he was ordered not to register the Amosun loyalist standing before him, saying they were members of the APM.
When asked to name the person who gave him that directive, Aregbe asked the people to call the party chairman in the ward.
The situation almost turned rowdy as Aregbe insisted that those he identified as APM members would not be allowed to register based on the directive given to him.
Speaking on the incident, the former Chairman of Imeko-Afon Local Government, Hon. Tosin Adeluyi, expressed surprise that the APC in Ogun State could discriminate against people who came out to voluntarily register as members of the party.
Adeluyi said most of the registration officials confirmed that the governor told them not to register Amosun loyalists.
According to him, many polling units and wards in the local government were empty without any registration taking place.
“All over Imeko-Afon local government, most of the units are empty. They went into hiding as the materials are not available at the polling units. People who came out to register went back home disappointed.
“Amore unit, Owuwu unit, Alagbon Mejo in Owo Idi Ayin ward and many others are all empty. They are doing the registration secretly, saying the governor told them not to register Amosun loyalists. This is unacceptable,” he said.
GoldennewsNG contacted the APC Spokesperson in Ogun State, Hon. Tunde Oladunjoye, who requested to see the video before making any comments.
After the video was sent to him, Oladunjoye reacted, saying:
“The action, if this video is genuine and not acted, is condemnable. The man acted solely on his own and without discretion.
“Our Governor and leaders have continued to say that the more the merrier. For example, Chief Adedayo was the Chairman of APM in my ward, Ijebu Itele Ward Seven, in Ijebu East LG; he has been registered into APC today. Mr. Patrick Ogunde, former State Secretary of the dissolved Derin Adebiyi Exco, which actually worked for APM, has been registered back to APC in Ijebu Imushin Ward One today.
“I assure you that the supervising officer in the concerned ward will investigate and take appropriate actions if found to be true. There is even an Appeal Committee for whoever is displeased one way or the other,” Oladunjoye told GoldennewsNG.
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to Govt Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, debunked allegations that the governor gave an order that Amosun loyalists must not be registered.
Somorin said the governor has continued to stress that nobody should be discriminated against for any reason whatsoever.
Watch the video:
