OPC chieftain warns Nigerians on expelled members

…They’re being used as thugs, attack dogs, says Ogun leader

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NIGERIA: THE Ogun State Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Alhaji Musediq Jimoh, on Friday alerted Nigerians on some aggrieved members of the congress who he described as dangerous to the society.

He alleged that these expelled members have become tools as thugs and were being used as “attack dogs”, apparently for political reasons.

Jimoh said that the time had come for the public to distance themselves from them, particularly following their failed plan to remove the OPC National Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams.

“Meanwhile, I think the time has come to alert well-meaning and responsible Nigerians on the dangers of allying and giving undue recognition to these people.  They are a danger waiting to happen and harmful to the society of sane human beings,” the State Coordinator said.

“Of course, it is not surprising that they have no ability to come up with anything meaningful, except to be hired

thugs for their pay masters, who they also work for as attack dogs,” he maintained.

He, however, explained that security agents aborted the plot by those he identified as “breakaway” members of the congress where they gathered in Sagamu, Ogun State.

Jimoh also said in press release made available to GatewayMail in Abeokuta that security operatives got wind of the meeting and dispersed the agitators.

According to him, the “secret” meeting alleged to have been called by some self-acclaimed leaders‎ was meant to use Ifa oracle pronouncement as a ploy to install a new “national coordinator” to replace Adams.

He chronicled events that led to the new development, saying that the plot was the fallout of the expulsion of the aggrieved members from the congress.

Jimoh said: “My attention has been drawn to a news story published in a national daily about a purported meeting by some self-acclaimed leaders of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).

“At the meeting, which allegedly held in Shagamu, Ogun State, the disgruntled people, who have been expelled from the OPC for bringing the name of the organization into disrepute, allegedly said they were going to use Ifa to search for a new leader for the OPC.”

Jimoh, however, stressed that those involved were the dismissed members who were culpable of various crimes and offences while still within the organisation.

“As a leader and a state coordinator in the OPC for more than a decade, I am in a good position to speak on the matter,” he said, adding: “While we have maintained maturity in the handling of the matter up until now, I think it is time that we and all sincere and honourable members of the OPC come out to denounce these people masquerading as leaders.”

He added: “It is rather unfortunate that Moruf Salami, the former Kwara State coordinator of the OPC, who was picked by our leader in 2006, Otunba Gani Adams, from the position of a deputy state commandant and made the state coordinator, would now turn around to bite the fingers that once fed him.”

“I think Moruf Salami and his cohorts should come out and tell the world whether he was appointed by Ifa when he was made the state coordinator,” Jimoh said.

The State Coordinator further said: “It is indeed funny that he has suddenly realized the important place of Ifa in the scheme of things soon after he was replaced by a more competent, vibrant and better qualified candidate, Comrade Oladipo Olayinka, who was picked by Ifa.

“It is also sad that Moruf Salami, who was a state coordinator, has suddenly fallen down the ladder to queue behind another man who was dismissed from the OPC as a local government coordinator.”

He explained that a source at the Sagamu meeting informed him that crisis that would have escalated was averted through the intelligent efforts of the Divisional Police Officer for the town.

“The group, because of their lack of vision and leadership, was out to cause violence which would have brought untold hardship on the people, but for the grace of God,” he said.

Jimoh added: “I am aware that, of the 76 persons that attended the meeting, a larger portion of them left unhappy, as their supposed leaders failed woefully to articulate their agenda and vision.

“It may interest Nigerians to note that this is not the first time that people would break away from an organization.   In those instances, those people have broken away to form a new organization of their own.”

“So, why has it been difficult for these people, who have consistently claimed that they are breaking away, to go on and form a parallel organization?” Jimoh queried, adding: “Of course, the reason is not far-fetched for people with discerning minds.”

The State Coordinator further explained: “The simple reason is that they lack the mental capability to put together the necessary structure to build a successful organization like the OPC.

“Therefore, for them, the only way out is to bring down Otunba Gani Adams, a man they have all, at one time or the other, praised with the best superlatives there are.”

“I dare them to come out and tell the world what their vision and programmes are if truly they have one,” he challenged the aggrieved members.