Osun APC crisis deepens, Omoluabi Progressive Caucus drags State Chairman to court

The crisis rocking All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has deepened as a member of the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus, Tutu Olanrewaju, draggedthe State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, to the Osun State High Court, Osogbo Judicial Division, seeking redress over what they termed illegal and criminal attack of the purported expelled party members.

Although, the APC national leadership is yet to ratify the illegal expulsion of the 86 members of the party, who include two former State Chairmen of the party, former Secretary, former Senator, former Commissioners, party chieftains and other political office holders in the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.

Aregbesola felicitating with Governor Adeleke of the PDP

The Motion on Notice in Suit N0:HOS/M.508/2023, was brought before the Court in pursuant to sections 6(6a-c) and 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,as amended and Sections 53-58 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Osun State 2018 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, by Barrister O. Popoola, counsel to Tutu Olanrewaju.

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The application, dated 10th October, 2023, was brought before the State High Court under provisions Of Section 24-26 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Osun State 2018, which empowers a Judge to arrest, or order the arrest of any Suspect.

According to the counsel, Section 53 of the same law empowers a Presiding Judge to order a person likely to commit a crime or cause of a breach of peace to enter into a bond or do an undertaking to be of good behavior, or to do certain things, or to refrain from doing certain things.

It will be recalled that over 86 APC members loyal to former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, were expelled over allegation of anti- party activities.

Ogbeni Aregbesola, former Minister of Interior in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, launched the “Omoluabi Progressive Caucus” of the party in his country home of Ilesa recently. The emergence of the caucus did not go down well with party leaders in the state in the “Ilerioluwa Caucus”; they conceive the action as an affront to the party leadership in the State.
Whereas, the Ilerioluwa caucus of the State APC belongs to former Governor Gbeyega Oyetola, current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

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Oyetola and his group have been at loggerhead with the Aregbesola Caucus immediately after the shaky victory of Oyetola in the 2018 Governorship Election.

Also, the Ilerioluwa Caucus, is yet to forgive the Aregbesola Caucus, formerly known as The Osun Progressives (TOP). They believe that the internal crisis orchestrated by Rauf Aregbesola and his loyalists cause the loss of the 2018 reelection governorship election of Oyetola, who was defeated by Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On behalf of the “Omoluabi Progressive Caucus” of the APC, Popoola, counsel to Tutu Olanrewaju, in the suit at the State High Court, sought the reliefs of the Court among other things, to restrain the Respondent, the State Chairman, from preventing members of the “Omoluabi Progressive Caucus” to have access to the party Secretariat, along Gbobgan-Ibadan Road, Osogbo, Osun State; and to stop anybody whosoever acting on behalf of the State Chapter of the APC from operating, either to cause violent or to resort to self-help against the “Omoluabi Progressive Caucus”, pending the determination of this Suit.

The Court was yet to fix a date for hearing of the suit at the time of this report, but the Respondent has been dully served.