Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has ordered the state caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Famoodun to discontinue the trial of Mr. Lowo Adebiyi and six other associates of the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, facing trial over the recent clashes at the state secretariat of the party.
Adebiyi, who is the chairman of The Osun Progressives, a faction in APC, backed by Aregbesola, as well as, Rasaq Salinsile, the incumbent APC Caretaker Secretary, ex Osun state Commissioner for Works, Kazeem Salami, ex Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs, Biyi Odunlade, ex Assistance Chief of Staff to the governor, Gbenga Akano, Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle, were on Monday arraigned on three count of conspiracy and assault.
But a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ismail Omipidan, on Tuesday said the governor ‘demonstrated his love for peace’ and charged Famodun to discontinue the court action.
Omipidan, who said Oyetola was away when the incident occurred had “in the wake of the crisis directed security operatives to take charge of the party secretariat to prevent further breakdown of law and order, just as he had also condemned what he termed the “unruly behaviour” exhibited by some aggrieved members of the party at the APC Secretariat in Osogbo.
“However, upon his return to the state on Monday, Oyetola summoned an emergency meeting of the party stakeholders and insisted that as members of the same family, whatever differences that existed could be resolved without necessarily resorting to litigation.
“To this end, he has directed the party chairman in the state to withdraw the complaints and take necessary measures to discontinue the matter.”
He further said the governor sympathised with individuals who sustained injuries during the said invasion and appealed to party members not to resort to self help whenever there are disagreements among them.
“The invasion of the party secretariat by armed thugs stands condemned as no sane society will condone the resort to self help in settling disagreements within a family.
“But as the governor, I have directed our party chairman to discontinue the matter in the interest of peace and harmony within the party,” the statement added.
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