OPC crisis: Gani Adams no longer fit to lead us – Members
By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
South west leaders of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) under the banner of National Coordinating Council (NCC) has declared that the National Coordinator of the group, Otunba Gani Adams is no longer capable of leading the group.
The OPC leaders while stating this in Ibadan at a joint press conference held at the Oyo NUJ press centre, Iyaganku asked Otunba Adams to quit as OPC National coordinator without wasting time.
Members of the group in Ibadan,the Oyo State capital, insisted that Gani Adams, has outlived his usefulness over what they called his style of administration.
Speaking at the press conference addressed under the aegis of National Coordinating Council (NCC) from Kwara, Oyo, Ondo, Bayelsa,Delta, Sokoto and Kaduna States, through the Kwara State OPC Coordinator, Comrade Salam Marruff Olanrewaju, the NCC members y alleged Otunba Adams of turning OPC to his personal property, by being “the only one dictating the fortune of the group to the detriment of the teeming members of the group”.
The NCC members maintained that there is the need for all the traditional rulers in Yorubaland to call him to order to listen to the voice of reason .
According to their statement titled, “The reformation within the Odua Peoples Congress and the change of leadership”, Comrade Olanrewaju alleged that for the past one and half decade, Otunba Adams has been at the helm of affairs as the National Coordinator of OPC and that his alleged activities have “made many to come to see it as an organisation that lacks moral respect for elders and that of betrayers”.
“The National Coordinator of OPC, Otunba Adams has brought ridicule to the group through his activities which include running it as a personal property, lack of respect to Yoruba elders and leaders in politics and outside politics, non-challant attitudes to members’ welfare as well as empty promises to the members of the group. The Odua Peoples Congress was formed to protect the interest of the Yorubas across the globe, thus OPC is an organisation of all the Yorubas, meaning that it belongs to everybody and to nobody” he said.
Comrade Olanrewaju while reading the statement jointly signed by Chief Adeagbo Adeola (Oyo), Mr. Rotimi Akinsowon (Ondo), Mr. Hammed Ologburo (Bayelsa) and Alhaji Rasaq Ogunsanwo (Sokoto), the OPC members pointed out that if Otunba Adams is not shoved aside now, the future of OPC will be in jeopardy as it will be a source of ridicule not only among Yoruba people but within and outside the country.
Emphasizing that OPC members have allegedly rejected Otunba Adams as their leader and should stop piloting its affairs, he added their stand has the full support of the state Coordinators and members of the group from Edo, Osun, Ekiti and Ogun States as well as 25 local government coordinators in Lagos State.
In his comment at the press conference, an OPC leader, Comrade Sina Akinpelu, said there is no going back in the rejection of Otunba Adams as OPC National Coordinator as endorsed by teeming OPC members in virtually all the states with OPC branches, saying, very soon, OPC will have a new lease of life when a leader that will carry everybody along will be put in place.
