Politics
Oyo APC leaders kick against alleged ‘fake’ delegates’ list, boycott congress
Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state have kicked against the alleged falsified delegates’ list for the position of the state party’s executive, boycotting the state congress billed for Saturday.
The APC leaders, who stated this at a press conference held at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, also appealed to the national leadership of the party to postpone the state congress till an authentic delegates’ list is provided.
The press conference, had in attendance , former Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare, former senator Olufemi Lanlehin Olasunkanmi Tegbe, the 2019 flag bearer of the Party, Adebayo Adelabu, Fatai Ibikunle, former Oyo ALGON chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, Ex-Oyo SSG, Chief Sarafadeen Alli.
Federal lawmakers who attended the conference are Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Hon. Shadipe Tolulope, former Oyo Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olagunju Ojo, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, and Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN who was represented among other prominent stakeholders in the state.
They specifically alleged that a serving senator and a former governor are responsible for the falsification of the delegates’ list.
Speaking on behalf of other stakeholders, Sen. Adeseun alleged that some dubious people have inserted fake delegates into the list brought from Abuja, calling on the National secretariat to produce a transparent unadulterated delegates ‘ list for the congress.
“Some dubious people have inserted fake delegates into the list brought from Abuja.
“Normally, when you have written an examination, you need to get results to know if you pass or fail . We did the first congress, we did not get its result. We held the second one, no result. They kept them all. They brought them altogether to us yesterday (Friday) for us to hold the State Congress. When we got the delegates’ list, we observed the list they brought it is fake and falsified. False names are in the list. When we held previous congresses, everyone of us mobilized people for them. When there is competition, each will bring out his or her people to test strength. But when the delegates list came out yesterday (Friday), those who have no supporters or followers are there. But those who have followers, their names are not there. They now say we should use the list for the state congress. This is not possible. In this state congress, we have agreed to go for consensus, but some elements in the party, have falsified the delegates ‘ list, they are now saying they don’t want consensus anymore”, Adeseun said.
“There is no way we will use falsified delegates’ list for the state congress. If they use the falsified delegates’ list to hijack party structure, can they use the same approach to win in the general elections?”, he questioned.
The APC stakeholders, who noted that those who have attained such high positions should be trustworthy and reliable, however, expressed disappointment that they are the ones behind the falsified, adulterated and fake delegates’ list, insisting that “party members and leaders in Oyo State are vehemently kicking against using such delegates’ list to conduct the state congress”.
“We are using this medium to appeal to the national leadership of our party, the suffering in Oyo State is too much. We don’t want to suffer again. The only way the suffering will not continue is to allow our party to conduct election and win. Our party was in government for eight years and brought unprecedented developments to the state. But with this step they are taking, they are working towards the defeat of the party”, Adeseun said.
The former senator recalled, “In 2018, there was crisis in our party, and it was polarised. That polarization led to the victory of the ruling party in Oyo State. Residents of the state are not happy with the current government.
“We now came together and decided to elect our party officers transparently but the former governor and the serving senator don’t want it that way.
“They should bring out the authentic list of ward and local government congresses. They should bring them out. If they do, we are ready for the congress. We cannot hold congress with falsified delegates’ list”, the leaders insisted.
The Oyo APC leaders, therefore called on the national leaders of the party to investigate and punish those responsible for the false list appropriately.
“The fact that in the past we never allowed people to be disciplined is the reasons we have this challenge.
“Progressives don’t behave that way. These hardcore ultra-conservatives have infiltrated our group and they are bringing their culture of hijacking into our party. We don’t want that. If you cannot conform with decency, they should go back to where they came from”.
”Two, on the individual involved, these are the people you all know. That is their stock-in-trade. That is their style of politics.
“We were all prepared for the state congress until yesterday morning (Friday) where the panel from Abuja came. We have been clamouring for the release of delegates’ list. In fact, many of us went to Abuja last week on this same issue to say you cannot have a congress where we don’t have delegates’ list. They promised to do something about it. And now the list came yesterday (Friday) and when opened it is just contraband.
“We are very confident that the top leadership of the party is probably not aware of what some people did around offices. So, when we put this one out and let the world see, we are confident that they would correct the anomaly.
“The state chairman of the party, issued a release yesterday (Friday). He is the custodian of the original. He knew what went to Abuja. He compared the copy he sent to Abuja with what came yesterday (Friday), shockingly, the list was falsified. We should suspend anything about the congress for now until we resolve that problem. So, if some people gather somewhere, they are just organizing a birthday party. If it is something that has to do with this party, unless we see a good, transparent, verified and verifiable list of delegates, there will be no congress”, they concluded.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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