Society Gists

Crisis was narrowly averted this afternoon as the Ogun State APC caucus was meeting to deliberate on modalities for the forthcoming party’s primaries.

At the ongoing meeting, the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, reportedly declared his intention to contest for senate seat after his eight year-term as governor in 2019.

A source privy to the meeting said told Global Excellence magazine that, as top officials including the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, of the party were seated to start with the meeting holding at Mitros Hall inside GRA, Abeokuta, one of the party chiefs moved a motion that Senator Lanre Tejuosho be excused from the sitting as, according to him, ‘he is no longer a member of our party’.

Tejuosho was among some APC senators who announced their defection on the floor of senate some weeks ago but have since returned.

The motion, according to Global Excellence source, enjoyed the support of the party chiefs in attendance. But for the governor’s intervention and appeal made by a few other members, Senator Tejuosho would have been kicked by the security men at the venue.

Another source said that the Ogun Central senator actually left the meeting before he was asked to return.

However, in the ensuing argument following the motion to exit him from the meeting, Tejuosho was said to have insisted that he remains a valid APC member since his defection was not backed by any official letter.

The senator reportedly asked for the wisdom behind the party’s attempt to kick him out citing as example the case of the party chairman, Chief Derin Adebiyi, who reportedly left the Amosun camp in the past and was allowed to return without a query from the party.

Chief Adebiyi was said to have replied Tejuosho immediately that he was not ‘a coward like you because I made my grievances known before leaving’. Frayed nerves were later

Senator Lanre Tejuosho

said to have been calmed by the governor and others.

The source said that Governor Amosun announced his 2019 senate bid and the meeting unanimously agreed to an indirect primary, but plans to adopt direct primary should the former fails to meet the party’s desire.