About five years after the Ogun All Progressives Congress, APC, was factionalised into two groups following the 2019 elections, the group loyal to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun has reconciled with Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Crisis started towards the 2019 general election when Amosun, the then governor, anointed Abiodun Akinlade, to take over from him, over Dapo Abiodun, his longtime friend.

Abiodun became the candidate of the party forcing Senator Amosun's loyalists to float another political party, the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, where Akinlade ventilated his ambition, but lost narrowly to Abiodun.

The irreconcilable differences lingered until the 2023 general election when Amosun's loyalists also threw their weight behind another party, the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

On Friday, the differences were put behind the two groups as loyalists of the former governor met with Governor Abiodun and other party structure under the leadership of Yemi Sanusi.

The group was led by Chief Derin Adebiyi, the factional leader of Amosun's group whose tenure as Ogun APC Chairman was truncated by Adams Oshiomole's National Working Committee in the build up to the 2019 election.

What could be called a reunion, came up at the Presidential Lodge in Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta.

It was reliably gathered that the reconciliation had the blessing of the former governor Amosun.

It was further gathered that the reconciliation effort had started months ago before it climaxed on Friday.

Governor Abiodun was personally on ground to welcome the group into the mainstream of the party.

Speaking during the meeting, Tunji Egbetokun, the Senior Special Adviser, political to the Governor, was heard saying Governor Abiodun must have a successor who will be anointed by him.

The same ground upon which Abiodun's team fought Amosun in build up to the 2019 election when Amosun's anointed candidates was rejected.

The Senator representing Ogun Central and a former Deputy Chief of Staff to Amosun, Shuaib Afolabi Salisu said he was proud to be a bridge between the two groups.

The governor, while receiving the group said: "I want to congratulate your sense of loyalty to leadership, which I will say is not only commendable, it is enviable.

"This is a culture that we must promote and entrench. It is a culture that is fast eroding; it is a culture that we are fast losing. Loyalty is 100 per cent.

"For some others, they move once things are not working well, but for you, you stay put. This sense of loyalty is worthy of emulation. We must appreciate the fact that there can only be one leader in a party at a time.

"Even when we have ambitions and desires, we must subordinate ourselves 100% to leadership and believe that it is in that subordination that will allow us to flourish and achieve our objectives, our dreams, our desires and aspirations, not by forming factions or by breaking away.

"Because by so doing, it only weakens the fabric of that collective union that we call our party. You must appreciate that there can be only one leader of the party at a time in the state, and that leader is the governor. 

"As the leader of the party, I appreciate the task bestowed on me and it is my duty to work towards individual and collective welfare of our members," the governor noted.

The governor urged all members to put the past behind them and work towards repositioning the party to achieve its aims and work for the socio-economic development of the state.

"Let us the past behind us. Let us promote what unites us as a family. I welcome you back. The future of Ogun State is in your hands and it is for us for the taking. The same joy the father of the prodigal son received his lost son back home, the same way I receive you today.

"To those who did not leave, please let us receive our brothers and sisters back. To those who are joining us, please let us display a sense of loyalty. I can assure you; you will be fully integrated."