By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Following a meeting with the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos Tuesday, the former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, has withdrawn his resignation letter from the party.
It would be recalled that AbdulLateef hinged his resignation from the ruling party to the rejection of his movement by some “close leaders” he respected in the party.
The one-time lawmaker launched IYEPE 2023 on September 29, a movement to galvanise Lagosians to develop more interest in politics and curb voters’ apathy.
The party leaders urged him to return to the party because it could not afford to lose someone of his status.
Among those in attendance at a meeting held in Ikeja GRA were State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, leaders of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), including Prince Tajudeen Olusi, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Prince Rabiu Oluwa, Alhaji Bushira Alebiosu and Omoba Murphy Adetoro.
The party stalwarts assured AbdulLateef of support to his move to galvanise more members for the party and making it stronger.
They also reconcile him and some party leaders that do not buy into his project, urging them to work in unison.
According to a source at the meeting, APC can’t afford to let go some of the big people that drive supports for the party.
“Hon Iyepe is a blessing to the party. He has done much to move the party forward. We cannot at this time allow him to just go like that. If there are issues, we resolve them. That is why the machinery of GAC was put in place to amicably resolve differences,” he said.
Another source described AbdulLateef as a grassroots mobiliser.
“His kind is rare in the party. He has for a long time combined party’s affiliation with religious propagation and has not been found wanting. He is a big fish in the party and commands large followers. We cannot allow such a person to leave our party due to issues we can sit on a round table to iron out. I commend the party leaders for taking a bold step to quickly bring him back to our fold,” he said.
AbdulLateef declined to talk about the meeting with the party leaders.
When pressed further, he simply said: “it is true that I have agreed to return to the party.”
