Former Osun Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, has explained why the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost the 2022 Osun State governorship election to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

Alabi said internal wranglings contributed to the defeat stating “people are not fed up with the administration of Oyetola.”

While speaking in Osogbo capital of Osun during an interview session, Alabi said: “Internal rancour is the major cause of us losing the election. No house will be divided and win. The Yoruba says that when two brothers fight to death, it is outsiders that will inherit their properties.

“You don’t go to a battle with a divided home. It is the major reason. But I think everybody has sheathed their sword now that we know that we are all on the ground.’’

He said any APC member willing to continue with the fight after the party’s defeat is very unhelpful.

According to him: “Nobody is going to tell anybody not to fight again. Everybody has fought and they have gone home with bruises and the bruises are painful to all parties.

‘’I am sure both we that lost the election and those that said we must lose the election, nobody is a winner in these circumstances," he said.

Alabi said the only way to reclaim the State from the PDP is for all the factions in the APC to come together to form a united party.

However, he said the party requires the service of a trusted individual to lead the reconciliation move that will pacify the aggrieved members of the party.

“We can be together. What we need is trust. Whoever is doing the reconciliation must be somebody that all the factions will trust and believe in and they know his stand is not for personal gains or apportioning blame but he only wants the party to come together to face the common opposition.

“To me, it is very easy. Yes, when the battle is hot it can be difficult to reconcile people. But everybody has tested their strength now. We need to call ourselves to order and chart a new course and that can be done by someone that is not factional, someone that all the factions will trust, someone who is not after personal gains,” he added.

Alabi said he is willing to lead the reconciliatory move to reunite the aggrieved members of the party.(The Nation)