Southwest APC Crisis: Gov Shettima's Reconciliation Committee Meets Amosun, Ends Hearings ‎

APC's national peace and reconciliation committee for the Southwest on Thursday met with Governor Ibikunle Amosun in his Ikeja private house as the committee concluded its scheduled interactive hearings with aggrieved party members from Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states.

The meeting with Amosun, which was earlier scheduled for Abeokuta, was the the committee's last activity in the southwest after three days of hearings. ‎Governor Shettima led members to a closed door session with Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the discussions focused on how to resolve the crisis that has bedeviled the APC in Ogun State.

The committee had on Wednesday held closed door meetings with state chairman of the APC in Ogun State alongside Speaker of the Assembly. The meetings took place in Lagos as part of the committee's interactive hearings for Ogun and Lagos States which took place in government house, Marina. Major stake-holders of the party in Lagos state including Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the party's governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, state chairman of the party and members of the Governors' advisory council were all present at the opening of the committee's meeting.

The committee had in the previous day, met the state chairman of the APC in Ogun State alongside Speaker of the Assembly. The meetings were part of the committee's interactive hearings for Ogun and Lagos States which held in Lagos. Major stake-holders of the party in Lagos state including Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the party's governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, state chairman of the party and members of the Governors' advisory council were all present at the opening of the committee's held which held in government house, Marina.

Before Lagos, the committee had on Monday, held interactive hearing in Ado-Ekiti for aggrieved APC members from Ekiti and Ondo ‎states during which the committee received and discussed written and oral complaints against the conduct of the party's primaries in October and November. On Tuesday, the committee held similar hearing in Ibadan and met the party’s members and strategic allies from Osun and Oyo states. Wednesday's hearing in Lagos was the final in the schedule of hearings. In all meetings, the committee focused on consoling aggrieved members, reassuring them of possible inclusiveness in addition to seeking their inputs on how to increase the APC's chances in the southwest ahead of the 2019 election.Before Lagos, the committee had on Monday, held interactive hearing in Ado-Ekiti for aggrieved APC members from Ekiti and Ondo ‎states during which the committee received and discussed written and oral complaints against the conduct of the party's primaries in October and November. On Tuesday, the committee held similar hearing in Ibadan and met the party’s members and strategic allies from Osun and Oyo states. Wednesday's hearing in Lagos was the final in the schedule of hearings. In all meetings, the committee focused on consoling aggrieved members, reassuring them of possible inclusiveness in addition to seeking their inputs on how to increase the APC's chances in the southwest ahead of the 2019 election.

Between Thursday and the weekend in Abuja, the committee's representatives, according to its secretary, Malam Isa Gusau, are expected to meet with the minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu over issues in Oyo State and also meet some specific leaders of the party in the southwest as part of efforts to gather facts‎ from all sides, conclude consultations before making strong and urgent recommendations to the APC's national working committee as part of steps necessary to increase the party's chances of winning all governorship, national and state assembly seats across the southwest.

Governor Shettima described outcomes of the committee's interactions in Lagos as promising especially given the frankness of participants and commitment to remaining in the party.