Adedibu, Arapaja hold parallel LG congresses - It’s an internal arrangement - Adedibu - Mapo is accredited centre - Arapaja

By Tope Abiola and Stephen Gbadamosi - 26.02.2008

THE lingering crisis between the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja and his political god-father, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, took a new dimension on Monday as the duo held separate congresses for the Ibadan South East Local Government.

While Arapaja’s supporters held their congress at the premises of the local government secretariat in Mapo, loyalists of Chief Adedibu converged on Saint Annes Secondary School, Molete, for the congress meant for the same local government area.

Sources told the Nigerian Tribune that Arapaja rejected the nomination of Madam Adikat Adetola as the women leader for the council area in the party, while she remained the favourite candidate of Alhaji Adedibu.

It was said that eight out of the 16 delegates slated for endorsement by Chief Adedibu were rejected by the deputy governor. This, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, made the duo to hold several congresses.

Nigerian Tribune also learnt that the candidature of a former chairman of the local government, Mr. Ademola Ige, as a state delegate was opposed by the deputy governor.

Chief Adedibu and Arapaja had had cause to disagree on the chairmanship of the local government during the last local government election in the state, which saw Arapaja literally dragging Adedibu before the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in Ota, Ogun State.

Since then, members of the party had been divided into two factions in the local government area with some in support of Arapaja, while others are for Chief Adedibu.

When contacted on why separate congresses were held by the loyalists of the duo, Chief Adedibu, through one of his aides, Alhaji Lukman Agboluaje, said “it was an internal arrangement within the party. There is no problem between Baba and the deputy governor.”

Also speaking, Arapaja, through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Kola Adegoke, said “the only accredited centre was the Mapo centre, which was approved by the national headquarters of the party.”

He added that the congress monitoring team which came from the party’s office monitored and supervised the Mapo congress.

Other sources, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that the party’s monitoring team also went to Adedibu faction’s congress and accredited Adedibu’s candidates.

Also, there was pandemonium at the Ibadan North East Local Government Secretariat of the party in Oke-Offa area of Ibadan during the congress.

Just as it was in most local governments area in the state, the congress could not begin until after 11 a.m.