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Reconciling APC Reconciliation In Oyo State | By Idowu Ayodele
Without a doubt, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state will of necessity required some balancing, broadness, fairness , forgiveness, openness and truth to bring back its aggrieved members in the state.
Before former Governor Abiola Ajimobi died, he put in place a broad based reconciliation committee to bring together the warring groups and fragmented caucuses within the Oyo state All Progressives Congress (APC). Many of the genuine and committed members of the party, faced with glim chances to actualise their hopes, aspirations and interests before the 2019 elections, left the party. They teamed up and with ‘Oyo protest votes’ ensured that APC lost the gubernatorial, state assembly election and many other elections into the chambers of federal legislature. Aggrieved members who left the party to pursue their political ambitions elsewhere also failed woefully at the poll.
Pitiably, the reconciliation committee has not really made headway as some dissenting members do not believe in the leadership and composition of the committee. However, a party in opposition must quickly gets his act together, as year 2023 draws near. This is very urgent and important.
Akala leadership of Oyo APC
Chief Christopher Adebayo Alao – Akala, a former governor of Oyo state was made the Chairman of the reconciliation committee set up by late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi before he died. In about a year, he has held about three general meetings and has scheduled members of the committee to start making contacts with members that had misgivings against the party to come back. After Ajimobi, the Oyo state APC state leader has died like his predecessor, late Alhaji Lamidi Onaolapo Adesina (Great Lam), also a former governor.
In all fairness, Akala is the only former governor in the camp of Oyo APC now.
Arguments against him had included that the former governor has not been a progressive from inception. The truth is that there is a thin line between Progressive and conservative camps in Nigeria political sphere now. Who could have thought that original Awoist like Ebenezer Babatope could be in the conservative camp of the PDP? Or a hardworking, result bearing Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly could find solace and settlement in Oyo state APC that he has been for decades from the PDP where he decamped?
Akala has the clout, remnants of deep financial pockets, political structure, networks and large heart that can enable him galvanise the various interests in the party. More so, unlike many of those against his leadership, Adebayo Alao-Akala is not contesting for any elective political office again. At best, the agitation of many opposers of his state leadership of the party has been that Ajimobi had the political structure of SENACO and cannot impose another SENACO on them; so let a LAMIST be made Deputy state leader then.
A neutral person like Akala is more advantageous to nip in the bud the critical disturbing divisions within Oyo state APC.
2023 Elections
The major political Party against the All Progressives Congress in Oyo state is and will be the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Despite being the ruling party in the state as a result of ‘mistakes’ of Oyo state APC in the 2019 elections, PDP is not a particularly strong party in Oyo state. It defeated Oyo state APC because of the coalition and merger with other parties just before the 2019 elections. There was imposition of candidates in APC and many candidates who contested election did not embrace their colleagues in the party who did not win the primaries. It is however, important to note the following:
* No one party, interest or godfather can single-handedly win a gubernatorial election in Oyo state, going forward. Without merger and coalition of groups, interests and parties, Oyo APC SENACO, LAMIST, Amosun elements or Akala PDP splinter group or APC as a party cannot do it alone.
* Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state is not strong; neither the party , nor the state leader, Governor Seyi Makinde can be underrated. PDP has the concept of ‘first get the power at all costs’ and then ‘share’. By year 2021, Governor Seyi Makinde will begin sharing more than ever before. APC at the National level should empower stakeholders of the party in Oyo state more than before if there will be genuinely committed members to hold party members down before 2023 elections.
* The issue of governorship candidate, especially should be settled as soon as possible by 2021 and even in many elective posts, contenders should be reduced to barest minimum. A major issue tearing the Oyo state APC apart include but not limited to the issue of many candidates for the primary elections pre-2019 who paid huge sums of money to the party and sectional party leaders but were not allowed even to participate in the primary.
Contenders should be spoken to on time and fair screening of all candidates should be done. It will minimize desertions.
Interestingly, politics in Oyo state has a self-regulating system. After Bola Ige, of Oyo plus Osun states, it was only Akala who was able to become governor outside the Ibadan zone. Ibadan voting area has the population and deciding votes. A political party thinking about winning gubernatorial election in Oyo state should be thinking about an Ibadan man.
Even religion-wise, Bola Ige was a Christian, after him came Alhaji Lam Adesina, a Muslim, after the great Lam came Ladoja (Muslim) / and Akala (Christian) who finished the tenure. After Christian Christopher Alao Akala , came Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi, a Muslim. Then a Christian Seyi Makinde is the present occupant of the Agodi Government House. As it is, the vociferous powerful huge Muslim communities are already complaining marginalisation in the scheme of things in Oyo state. Your guess is as good as mine, for the better choice in terms of religion by a party desirous of unseating the incumbent in Oyo state.
* Not everybody will be able to come on board. However, the state leadership of the party must embrace an all inclusive programme to reach out to all former members individually and as groups. Let their former traumas, frustrations, dismay be met with promises of better deals.
Ajimobi has ‘crack team’ of unbiased apolitical, intelligentsia who worked with him in all local governments and they were able to feed him with truths about happenings and gatekeepers who could assist him. Identifying these people may also assist the party in its future elections.
The Oke-Ogun and Oyo North axis should not be neglected in the new emphasis and scheme of things. The Ibarapa Zone is also an area that Oyo state APC needs to work on, as the young speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin has become the new ‘political czar’ in the zone.
The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The notice was presented yesterday during plenary by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action follows Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dala said the allegations stem from Abdussalam’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government (2023–2024) and his current role as deputy governor. He accused the deputy governor of diverting funds meant for the 44 local government councils.
According to the majority leader, Abdussalam allegedly received N1.5 million monthly from each council between June 2023 and January 2024, totaling N462 million. Between February and July 2024, he allegedly collected N3.255 million monthly from each council under the guise of special assignments, amounting to N726 million.
Dala also accused the deputy governor of abuse of office, claiming he facilitated payments of N10 million from each council to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, totaling N440 million, in violation of state procurement laws.
“The misuse of official capacity to confer undue advantage constitutes abuse of power and undermines public trust,” Dala told lawmakers, adding that the allegations amount to gross misconduct under the Constitution.
The impeachment notice was reportedly endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional threshold to proceed. The Speaker has acknowledged receipt, and the House is expected to serve the allegations on the deputy governor.
If approved, a panel may be constituted by the state Chief Judge to investigate the claims.
As of filing, Abdussalam had yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old alleged drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had reportedly been on the agency’s wanted list and that of British authorities for over 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following what the agency described as a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of its Special Operations Unit.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest ended a prolonged manhunt linked to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to the statement, Ilomuanya was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking.
He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.
Babafemi added that the suspect was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 over drug-related offences.
He said, “He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.
“Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area country home in Imo State and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos residence where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.
“He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking networks.
Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to track down criminal elements regardless of how long they evade the law.
He said, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.
“Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.
“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.”
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and persistence in tracking down the suspect.
He added that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
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