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The deregistration of political parties in Nigeria have generated many controversies in states and among political faithfuls.Ogun State IPAC have been in the news for this reason with claims and counter claims of the legitimate leadership.
INFOLITE NEWSMAGAZINE team met with Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday,the current chairman of IPAC,who spoke extensively on his emergence and role of late Senator Buruji Kashamu’s influence on former executives after their political parties were deregistered.
Your introduction Sir.
My name is Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday,I am the Chairman of New Nigeria People’s Party,and the chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council of Ogun State.
The leadership of IPAC from the national had a little changes after the deregistration of political parties by INEC,how has it affected IPAC operation in various states.
Yes,it is the deregistration that brought people like us on board.Before now,we have 92 political parties in INEC in their own wisdom, decided to deregister political parties that failed to meet up with criteria for their operation. Immediately that happened,it affected IPAC both at state and national level.The former leader,Peter Ameh was affected because his party could not meet up with the criteria.Dr Leonard Nzenwa, chairman of AAC, through interim internal arraignment, became the national chairman.This was done with the knowledge of INEC.So,most of the political parties lost their place in IPAC.For instance in Ogun State,the formal chairman Adedamola Adeshina of Mega Party also lost his position since his party was deregistered.Even at the INEC office,it is his name( Adeshina)that they have in their records.The late Senator Buruji Kashamu,Mr Fix it,that brought him from the blues for his political agenda on the platform of Mega Party.
After the deregistration of political parties,the power that Adeshina Adedamola used to be in office seized,since his party was deregistered.Senator Buruji Kashamu also tried to “PURCHASE” another party, which is YYP for Adeshina ,with the support of Abayomi Arabambi.Unfortunately,they didn’t wait for directives from the national body of IPAC before parading themselves as what they are not.Asiwaju Adeshina wanted to stay in office as the IPAC chairman of Ogun State without the new authority of the national body in Abuja,led by Dr Leonard Nzenwa.
We waited patiently,until the national body fixed a date for election in all the 36 states of Nigeria,which brought me to office as the authentic chairman of Ogun IPAC.The national body came from Abuja and we went to INEC office together,as the new executives were presented to them .It was at INEC office that IPAC was told to include the names of the bearer of those political parties presented,and it was documented.
Two weeks later, Adedamola Adeshina and the likes of Arabambi started parrading themselves,and I called the attention of the national body at Abuja.They said anyone can parade themselves as IPAC executives,our executives are the only authentic that is known by INEC and in Abuja.
When they said they wanted to hold a meeting at INEC office,I wrote an official letter to INEC that they should not allow any imposture or any interloper in the name of IPAC,and they were sent out.As long as we are concerned, nobody is contesting anything with them.They are jokers.We know we have 18 political parties in Nigeria, and Leonard Nzenwa is the national chairman of IPAC,and Oginni Olaposi Sunday is the Ogun state chairman
What are your expectations from the aggrieved members of IPAC,for the unity of the state and National body?
The right thing for them to do is to realize the reality on ground.IPAC is no man’s company.Its so unfortunate,the late Buruji Kashamu took #5Billion to Abuja to replace Oginni’s name few days before he had medical problem that led to his death.I told him that “you are not Good”.You don’t run against God because this is not your company.This is not your Lotto company.I will not say much on that because our tradition doesn’t speak I’ll of the dead.But what ever any body does,I will say it to his face.You can not be involved with everything all the time .I told him to his face when he was alive.I left Buruji to his God and I pray that God will forgive him.
My advice for the aggrieved (which is not even about Adedamola,but Arabambi and his Co-travellers),IPAC is no body’s company,but an Adversory Council of Registered Political Parties.You can’t be there forever,and I can’t be there forever.Wevare stretching our hands of relationship with them,but they must know the reality on ground.They need to know that the national leadership.The leadership is well structured that it’s just a one year term,and the interim may be one month or three months,it depends.So I see no reason for the wars and disagreements. I came into the picture because we need to put the rascality of Arabambi and co,with the likes of Senator Buruji Kashamu to check.
I’m happy because he was still alive when the whole thing started.Even, when I said it in the media earlier this year that he is an “expired politician”,he called me and we spoke for over an hour on phone.He invited me to Lagos but I declined, because it’s against my integrity and conscience.He tried as much as possible for us to mend fence.I have forgiven him and I pray that God will forgive his short comings.
The dead of Buruji Kashamu is a big lesson for all of us.I don’t have anything against any of them,I gain nothing for thier misfortune as it was the deregistration of political party and the emergence of interim leadership at the national that showed them the way out.