Former Governor Olusegun Osoba on Tuesday said the public misconstrued what happened at his Bourdilon home, Ikoyi – Lagos, last Sunday when the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southwest met.
In attendance at the meeting included the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Mrs. Oluranti Adebule and former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.
Others are former interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande; APC National Vice Chairman, South West, Chief Pius Akinyelure and Senator Gbenga Obadara and ex – Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun.
But Governor Ibikunle Amosun, his Deputy, Princess Yetunde Onanuga and leaders of the Party in Ogun State were visibly absent and no explanation given for their absence.
Osoba who broke his silence on the matter, said while people kept saying that he hosted the Southwest leaders of APC in his home since the news of the meeting broke; the truth of the matter was that it was them that came to plead with him to return to the APC family.
The Akirogun of Egbaland who made this known in his remarks at the public presentation of the book: Alake of Egbaland, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, and vaguely blamed the press for the public misconception.
The 127 page book bearing Five chapters, was authored by the foremost Egba politician and industrialist, Chief Alani Bankole, popularly called Caterpillar and was reviewed by the pioneer Vice – Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Prof. Olukayode Oyesiku.
Osoba noted that the pleading by the APC leaders in Yorubaland for him to return to the progressive fold have been on and still continued, adding that two prominent traditional rulers had also lend their voices in that direction.
The ex – governor said the occasion of the book launch was not a time for political speech making, adding that it is better left for a later date in future.
And in a brief encounter with the press shortly after launching the book with half a million naira, Osoba said he is a founding member of APC and would remain a progressive politician till the end of his sojourn on earth.