Glad Tidings from the Oyo State APC Progressives’ Movement | By Akeem Adebiyi
In the build up to the 2023 general elections,APC as a party,was in divisions among the several tendencies within the whole structure.This unpleasant development was a direct consequence of the lopsidedness and underhand dealings which characterised the Congresses in selecting the party’s executives at all levels.The exercise was obviously monopolised by one of the ambitious elements and his lackeys within the system.This was so pronounced to the extent that others were treated as strangers on the field.
In the subsequent party’s primaries to elect the standard bearers for various elective positions in the general elections,the story was the same or bore striking similarities.It was all about the gory tales of imposition,corrupt practices and allied obscene acts.
This was ostensibly responsible for the party’s dismal performances at the Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections respectively.APC in Oyo state suffered humiliating defeats in both exercises.The central figure in the whole unfortunate scenario was a defector from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose political antecedents are always characterised by betrayals and sharp practices .To him,making pecuniary gains in politics supercedes other things.He was aided and abetted by handful of insiders to perpetrate the heinous acts.Evidence abounds today that there is no elected representative, senator and state parliamentarian elected on the platform of APC whose purse was not strangely depleted by this personality.His penchant for making money through armtwising knows no bound and shame.
The judgement of history was that the genuine and patriotic members of the party were annoyed out while the remaining disgruntled members stayed within and worked against the party’s success at the polls.
Hence,APC in Oyo state was in limbo after the 2023 general elections.The frustrating and disappointing experiences of the party members still hunts them till the present moment.It seemed the consolation and succour to the nauseating developments rests squarely in the party’s possession of three senators, eight federal representatives and two state parliamentarians in the kitty.These representations are grossly inadequate to keep the party and members therein going.Vast majority of APC members finds remedy in aligning with the APC progressives’ movement which was the brainchild of Barr.Lowo Obisesan and a host of other prominent leaders in the party.The movement has fair representations in all the thirty three local government council areas in Oyo state.
The monthly meeting of the movement is always attended by all the members from far and near.Those from outside Ibadan are normally assisted with transport fares.The meeting agenda is always intertwined with lectures on the way forward for the progressives in the Oyo state body polity and by extension, Nigeria.The movement swells up on daily basis in terms of membership numerical strength owing to the influx of more like minds from the fold, including the defectors from other political parties,Viz;PDP,NNPP and few others.It is a thing of joy that our elected representatives in the governance system and within the party are at home with this movement as most of them have been hobnobbing with the leaders therein and granting support for the logistics.
The agenda for restructuring the party in line with the best practices of the progressives is being seriously pushed by the movement.The objective has been the idea of building the structure which is all encompassing.In other words,a solid structure which shall be devoid of lopsidedness,but accommodates all tendencies within the system in line with the true spirit of constitutional democracy.It is only in this way that APC in Oyo state can wrestle the reins of governance from the PDP….led administration.
Beyond building a solid structure of the party,the movement envisions adoption of internal democracy in the emergence of the party’s candidates for the general elections.The hallmark of a genuine constitutional democracy has much to do with upholding the principles of justice, fairness and equity in all fronts, including transparency.
Today,APC progressives’ movement in Oyo state is playing the roles of an “inloco parentis” to the teeming members of our great party.This is predicated on the fact that our official platform has abandoned the roles of uniting the diverse tendencies and interests within the system.One had thought that the emergence of a new state Chairman,though by accident, shall make a difference.It is a pity that there is obviously nothing on ground indicating such development.In the contrary,the ills which had hitherto plagued the party are far from being healed up.A relevant example in this circumstance is the meddlesomeness of some state party executives in the nomination of a candidate to vie for the vacant seat of the Federal representative in Ibadan North Federal Constituency in the forthcoming bye elections.The same personality that rocked the party’s boat in 2023 Gubernatorial elections bared his fangs,but promptly resisted by some progressive elements in Ibadan North APC.His intervention was not based on patriotism,but to make pecuniary gains as usual.Albeit,the state Chairman of the party has acted decisively to abort what could have led to the party’s disastrous outing in the bye elections under reference.The Chairman assured the aspirants of providing a level playing field in the forthcoming primaries whenever the party’s national headquarters releases the guidelines on the exercise.
However,the troublesome man should be admonished to have a rethink on his mode of operations within the fold of the progressives.
As we are inching towards another round of Congress,which may be preceded by the fresh membership registration exercise, the APC movement is of the conviction that we should eschew politics of exclusion and discrimination.It should behove on us all that the efforts of the reactionaries have never prevailed over those of the progressives.The tenets of constitutional democracy must be allowed to reflect and manifest in the exercises without let or hindrance.Anything short of this approach may lead the party to another round of avoidable crisis,the end of which nobody can predict.
akeemadebiyi2015@gmail.com
