The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has warned promoters of a political group, Boye Nation, against what it described as an attempt to create confusion in the state’s political landscape by campaigning for candidates of different political parties.
The party said those interested in supporting its candidates must be prepared to work for all APC flag bearers or stay away from its political activities.
The warning followed the circulation of a video on social media showing several vehicles branded with campaign materials bearing the images of President Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, and the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State.
The vehicles also reportedly displayed the symbols of Boye Nation alongside the logos of the APC and APM, raising questions about the political allegiance of the group and its promoters.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, said the APC remained willing to reconcile with aggrieved members and accommodate those prepared to return to its fold.
He, however, cautioned that the party’s disposition towards reconciliation should not be mistaken for weakness.
Sadare said the party had received reports that some individuals behind Boye Nation’s activities in Ibadan were allegedly making moves capable of creating confusion within the political space.
“We have got the reports from different sources that some individuals, who are behind the Boye Nation activities in Ibadan, are perfecting plans to create confusion in the polity. Some of these people celebrate their confusion on social media, but we can only wish them the best of luck,” he said.
The party’s spokesman further alleged that some individuals who recently left the APC were attempting to campaign for President Tinubu while belonging to another political party.
While expressing sympathy for the individuals, Sadare urged them to reconsider their political decision and return to the APC, which he described as their political home.
He also criticised the branding of campaign vehicles and other materials with the identities of different political parties, describing the development as unacceptable.
“While we sympathise with the man in question as he and his group must have realised the fatal error in their recent political move, we urge them to return home and play the role expected of them as progressive family members,” the statement said.
The party maintained that support for Tinubu must translate into support for other APC candidates seeking elective positions in the state.
Sadare said anyone genuinely interested in the success of the President must also be committed to the party’s governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates.
“If you are supporting our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, you must be intentional by working for the governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates of the APC at the same time, as doing otherwise would be unacceptable to us,” the statement added.
