Oyo APC Progressives’ Movement: A Unifying Force | By Akeem Adebiyi
All Progressives’ Movement in the Oyo state body polity is an intervention group that has turned out as a huge blessing to the survival of the progressive elements in our political era.The body,a brainchild of the amalgamation of experienced politicians and young elites in the camp of progressives came into being sequel to the disastrous outing of our party,APC,in the 2023 Gubernatorial elections in Oyo state. Majority of the party members were frustrated,stranded and annoyed out.The main party structures across board were in disarray. It was a case of,”Things fell apart and the centre could not hold same together again.”Such was the enormity of the devastating consequences of our party’s humiliating defeat in the 2023 Gubernatorial elections in Oyo state. It was a terrible experience.
Albeit,the party has fair representations in the National Assembly, our men and woman therein could not formulate the agenda to restore the lost fortunes of APC in Oyo state. Lack of unity among them is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf and dumb. Some of them are in hot pursuit of personal agenda. Hence, their diverse interests couldn’t work the desired wonders to revive the party from the imminent ruins. Just like the APC progressives’ movement, there exists other splinter groups with similar objectives of getting the party back on its right track. However,it is an incontrovertible fact that the APC progressives’ movement is a behemoth which accommodates all the splinter groups and individuals throughout the state. All the core progressives from the thirty three local government council areas are ably represented in the body.
The leaders therein can be aptly described as genuine and true patriots. Ranging from the enigmatic Chief Ayanlowo Obisesan and his colleagues from Ibadan land, Chief Caleb Oyaniyi and the like minds from Ogbomoso land, notable political icons from Ibarapa and Oyo axes to the highly rated politicians of Oke Ogun extraction, they have demonstrated their skills, ability, competence and ingenuity as efficient human resources managers.
Just like the proverbial fallen child and adult,it is only wise and appropriate for us to ruminate on the causative factors of our downfall in 2023 and initiate necessary corrections.To be factual,the past is irretrievable,it is only the future that we can make better with our concerted efforts.Our concern, interest and focus must be geared towards achieving an all round victory for our party and candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Indubitably, lopsidedness in the composition of party executives at all levels, docility and passivity of our leaders to speak up in the faces of glaring social injustice, individuals’ inordinate ambitions and quests to secure tickets as the party’s standard bearers through undemocratic means, greed and avarice, including absence of cohesion among party members were some of the factors which caused our downfall. Pitiably, the absurd trends still remains with us up to the present moment. In the words of modern philosophers,” man has never learnt anything from history.”Human memory is short.The same unpleasant and distasteful factors which led to our party’s calamitous defeat in 2023 still played out in the recent ” Ibadan North Federal Constituency By-lections.”In the exercise, the party still kissed the dust as usual having failed to learn from its past mistakes. Internal democracy was subdued and sacrificed in the battle for supremacy among some old political gladiators. Thus, the party’s candidate in the contest became a sacrificial lamb in the ensuing ego battle.
Well, APC Progressives’ Movement shall continue to play its unwaivering roles as a unifying force and the largest tendency within our party. Without mincing words, entrusting the party structure and management in the hands of an individual shall still spell doom for us. Rather, proportional and equitable representation of all the tendencies in the composition of the party’s executives at all levels shall bring about favourable outcomes. To this end, the tenets of constitutional democracy should be allowed to fester in the emergence of the party’s standard bearers in the 2027 general elections and composition of party executives too. Collective interests must be prioritised over individual/personal interests. All the aspirants vying for the elective positions must be given a level playing field to prove their mettle. Failure of our party, APC, in the serial election cycles in Oyo state and with unbroken regularities, is not only shameful and nauseating,but frustrating and unpleasant.
Then, it is worth noting that gross acts of indiscipline are pervasive among the high ranking members of our party. Anti-party activities in forms of provocative pronouncements, abnormal conducts, hobnobbing with members of the ruling party, PDP, in the state, including holding nocturnal meetings with them and open campaigns for the PDP candidate, just to mention a few. To cap it all, leakage of our party’s official secrets and strategies is quite rampant among these disloyal members and discredited politicians. It is good to note that no meaningful growth and development can be achieved if these shenanigans remains with us. Therefore,the party leadership should assert its authority by wielding big sticks against these recalcitrant members who have chosen to drag the party backwards. An identified enemy is better off than the hidden one masquerading as a true friend. We can’t be frying fish and accommodate a cat as guest. It is only in the atmosphere of strict adherence to acts of discipline that robust achievements can be made and sustained.
Furthermore, our elected and appointed representatives in the government system must be held accountable for the members’ welfare and the maintenance of the state party secretariat. They obtained their mandates from the party and must do their best to pay back their dues to the source.
It is a sacred duty and clarion call for them to contribute meaningfully to the party’s further growth and progress. The issue of appointing an overall leader for the party should be revisited. The criteria for anointing a political leader in the camp of progressives should not be limited to experience only, but political expertise, acceptability, high personality traits, social influence, financial strength and proven good track records. Emergence of a central leader shall give our party a sense of direction.
This shall undoubtedly enhance the party’s ability to resolve knotty issues without much stress, most especially, presentation of candidates for the inter-party elections.
By Akeem Adebiyi.
