Protest on Tuesday greeted the appointment of the new local caretaker committee made by the Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.
Some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state alleged that there were irregularities in the appointment.
The Speaker House of Assembly, Rt Hon Najeem Salam, had on Monday read on the floor of the house the list of the newly appointed local government caretaker committee members sent by Aregbesola.
It was gathered that the majority of the aggrieved APC members, who carried placards with various inscriptions, were from Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
The protesters who took their protest to the State House of Assembly, Abere, were said to be unhappy about the alleged substitution of the names of their preferred candidates with other names.
The spokesperson of the aggrieved APC members, Mr Alayo Adelani said the protest was to express their displeasure over happenings in the party, accusing the state assembly of being the brain behind the illegal removal of names.
Adelani further explained that the Assembly led by the Hon Speaker clandestinely removed one Seyi Oke who he said was the preferred candidate from Odo Otin local government.
According to him, “nine candidates expressed interests and all of them participated in the primary, out of which Seyi Oke was nominated. His name was sent to the state secretariat and endorsed by the party chairman and party elders in the local government.
“Weeks later, APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun congratulated us on the choice of Oke. The name was later forwarded to governor for final approval.
“When the list got to the Assembly, Oke’s name was replaced with one Akeem Sikiru. Sikiru is not known in the party at our local government, he did not participate in the primary, he was not even part of any activity of the party in the local government, since he practically resides in Lagos state.”
Adelani also accused, Mr Tope Adejumo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security matters and one Hon. Olaolu for conniving with the assembly to perpetrate the act.
They therefore demanded the immediate reinstatement of Oke to allow peace to reign, threatening that failure to comply would result to crisis that may tear the party into pieces.
Addressing the protesters, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akintude Adegboye appealed to them to remain calm and toe a democratic path of resolving any perceived anomaly.
Adegboye also cautioned them to always consider the interest of the ruling party in any decision they take at any point in time, saying they must not put the party in crisis.
Other local governments affected in the alleged irregularities are Osogbo West, Iwo, Ede North, Ife South and Irewole.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
