Osun APC members protest against council boss’ fourth term bid

Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Irepodun South Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Osun State, yesterday, protested the fourth chairmanship ambition of the council boss, Kamalideen Oloyede.

They alleged that Oloyede had been ruling the LCDA since its creation about seven years ago and asked him to give others, who are also qualified and capable, a chance to administer the council.

It was gathered that Oloyede, popularly known as Jay Kay, had obtained intention form to contest the chairmanship position of the council for the election slated for October 15.

However, politicians and other indigenes of the council marched peacefully to the palace of their traditional ruler, Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye Oyegbodun II, in protest against Oloyede’s fourth chairmanship ambition.

The aggrieved members, who had earlier converged on the party secretariat located in front of AUD Primary School, Erin-Osun, marched through the streets and later terminated the protest at the Elerin palace.

The protesters said that Oloyede had ruled for three terms in office and had allegedly boasted to be the governor’s anointed candidate for the chairmanship office.

The protesting party members alleged that they have it on good authority that the party leadership was allegedly planning to impose Oloyede on them for the fourth term, which they vowed to resist.

One of the stakeholders in the council, Opeyemi Yusuf, while addressing journalists, said the protest was to publicly condemn the alleged endorsement of Oloyede by the governor of the state and the party leadership in the state.

He said that the people of the local council were not happy with the situation, adding that thousands of APC members are loyal to the present government under the leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, hence the need to give another person a chance to take the leadership mantle of the LCDA.

He said: “We are here protesting because for a very long time, we have been patient enough on so many issues. One of those issues is that since the creation of the Irepodun South LCDA, only Oloyede had been allowed to lead as the chairman of the council.

“It’s not a big deal for someone to be in office for three terms, but the big deal is when someone is unable to unify the party. It is a big deal when someone is in office and there is no considerable level of development within the community.

Also, another member of the party, Alhaja Ola, said there was need for a change in the leadership position in the LCDA, adding that, “people have been patient because of the love they have for the governor. In fact, if not because of the love we have for Governor Gboyega Oyetola, many people would have defected with the way the party affairs are been running.