Adesina Akinpelu, the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Oodua Peoples Congress is entangled in a web of crisis with Otunba Gani Adams. To him, Adams has had enough in OPC since 1994 and it is time for him to take his leave. He and other members of his faction will stop at nothing to get him removed. But, how do you remove an ‘Iroko tree’ without the ground shaking? In this interview, he highlights some of the ‘sins’ which Gani Adams was alleged to have committed. Enjoy him…..

What is the problem between you and Gani Adams?By Ola Ajayi, Bukola Ifegbayi & Fisayo Ogunwale

There is no problem between me and Gani Adams. Oodua Peoples Congress was founded in 1994 by some leaders. After that, the G29 having consulted the oracle, confirmed that Gani should be our leader.

That was March 1st 1991, and then Gani was nowhere to be found. He was an ordinary carpenter. In 2003, Gani collected money from some governors in the South West, both from the ruling government and opposition and went away with the money.

In 2007, he did the same thing and contrary to their claims, when I contested election into the State House of Assembly, he gave me nothing for support.

Nothing for

support

I lost the party in my local government. I held it and the struggle to liberate other members from his claws started from 2007. He betrayed Yorubas and the organization.

It was then I called all co-founders to call him to order. We checked the excesses of Dr. Fredrick Fasheun and we can also call Adams to order. What is most honourable for him is to resign. We don’t have anything against him.

You are calling for his removal bearing in mind that you people made him the permanent national coordinator of the congress. How do you think that his removal will be effected so easily?

He is not a permanent national coordinator. There is a clause in our constitution and it is that when you betray our struggle, you would be removed and that it is an oath among us that none of us should sell out our ideas for negative reasons and he has violated this. I told him that Yoruba people are many and they are in both PDP and APC. We told him not to hold any rally in favour of any candidate but he refused.

You can ask other members in Lagos. We have held up to three international meetings. We are many but we will tell him we are leaders. They have attempted my life three times in Ibadan.Gani Adams’ faction is saying you are a lone ranger in the purported struggle you are claiming to be fighting. Who are the other members behind you?

Spiritual realm

They still wanted to eliminate me through spiritual realm four good times. So, we cannot show him all our power but he will soon know I am not alone in this struggle.

How about this allegation of N1.6billion mobilization fee that is causing ripples among you. Gani Adams through Adeagbo has denied receiving any money. How can you substantiate this?

Don’t worry, very soon you will see my petition to the EFCC against Gani Adams and President Goodluck Jonathan.  President Jonathan called Gani to distribute some money for poverty alleviation for members of OPC.

This is different from pipeline contract money. The money was meant for poverty alleviation. Gani told our members to collect forms promising to loan them money ranging from N100 to N200,000.

Immediately he introduced the idea, they agreed because they did not want their people to be poor having sacrificed their lives for the emancipation of Yoruba nation. When we needed financial assistance, none of the then governors in the South West was ready to help us. It was only Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and PA Adefarati that came to our aid. It was Adams that turned us against Tinubu.

Where was the meeting held?

It was held at Marina in Lagos. The money was collected in March 2015. It was the day that Oke Ibadan festival was held.

Oke Ibadan

festival

He collected the money in the morning and now invited the members in the evening claiming that President Jonathan wanted to meet them.

When the meeting was held in the evening, he gave them about N21 million. The other money which was contained in “Ghana Must Go” bag was given to him in the morning.  I have my intelligence report from Marina. I am an ex-military man. I have my colleagues around him. This man is a liar.

Do you think OPC still enjoys the same support it used to enjoy in the past?

That is why we are rising against him. we don’t want him to destroy the organization further. We are saying that if you want to go into politics, then count yourself out of OPC. After then, you can be holding all sorts of events for your political interest.

Why are you calling for the bank statement of accounts of the congress?

It is a proof that something is wrong with the organization. He refused to show the account to us. He alone operates the account with some of his puppets who cannot say no to him.