IPAC OSUN'S CONTROVERSIAL CONDUCT TOWARDS GOVERNOR ADEMOLA ADELEKE: A CALL FOR REFORM
In a recent statement issued by the Association of Progressive Political Parties in Osun State (Osun APPPS), Chairman Wole Adedoyin shed light on the actions of the current leadership of IPAC Osun, detailing their mocking, humiliation, and opposition towards Governor Ademola Adeleke before and after the last Osun Governorship election. The APPPS publication criticized the current IPAC leadership for their self-centeredness, bias, and lack of integrity. Rather than effectively fulfilling their role as mediators between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and registered political parties, they have failed to achieve anything substantial during their tenure. Instead, IPAC Osun became a tool for the former ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to undermine the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is now in power. This is evident in press statements such as "IPAC slams Adeleke over plans to influence Osun poll - https://thenationonlineng.net/ipac-slams-adeleke-over-plans-to-influence-osun-poll/" and "IPAC tackles PDP over alleged plan to rig Osun polls - https://sunnewsonline.com/ipac-tackles-pdp-over-alleged-plan-to-rig-osun-polls/ demonstrating the tyrannical nature of the current IPAC leadership in the state.
In stark contrast to the present situation, the previous leadership of IPAC Osun, led by Prince Adesoji Massilo Adeleke, Dr. Idowu Omidiji, Comrade Adebayo Bello, and Reverend Olatunji Popoola, did not engage in such behavior. Their principles and ideology remained uncompromised. In the past, if there were any press statements attacking opposition parties, they were issued by individual political parties or partisan political groups like the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) or the now-defunct Alliance of Collaborating Political Parties (ACPP).
It was both surprising and disheartening to witness the current IPAC Osun leadership attacking Governor Ademola Adeleke in the run-up to the Osun Governorship election, using the name of IPAC. Not only was the governor criticized, but he was also subjected to ridicule by this so-called IPAC leadership. The exploitation of IPAC for personal gain should be strongly condemned by the council's national headquarters and INEC. Dragging the PDP and its candidate through the mud before an election should not go unpunished. Ironically, the party and candidate who were mocked, attacked, and humiliated have now emerged as the elected Governor of the State. The congratulatory message sent by IPAC to Governor Ademola Adeleke after his victory at the Supreme Court is highly ironic, considering their previous actions against him and his party. The evidence of their misconduct can be easily found online.
It is imperative for the national level of IPAC to exercise oversight over their state chapters, particularly in Osun. The national body should conduct an audit of IPAC's activities in Osun State. Similarly, INEC should closely monitor IPAC's activities in different states. The various headlines such as "IPAC knocks Osun PDP - https://thenationonlineng.net/ipac-knocks-osun-pdp/" and "PDP is one out of 18 political parties in Osun, says IPAC - https://sunnewsonline.com/pdp-is-one-out-of-18-political-parties-in-osun-says-ipac/" clearly demonstrate the intense animosity that the current IPAC leadership harbors against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and their actions should be unequivocally condemned.
Another headline, "Osun 2022: Adeleke, IPAC bicker over attack on PDP guber candidate,- https://dailypost.ng/2022/05/18/osun-2022-adeleke-ipac-bicker-over-attack-on-pdp-guber-candidate/ " highlights the disagreements between Adeleke and IPAC regarding the assault on the PDP gubernatorial candidate during the 2022 Osun Governorship election. Numerous releases from IPAC Osun have not only mocked Governor Demola Adeleke but have also attacked and humiliated him. The Osun APPPS advises the current Chairman of IPAC to utilize the remainder of his tenure to rectify his wrongdoings.
