Politics

SENACO, LAMIST are creations of lazy people in Oyo APC – Morohunkola Thomas.

Published

9 years ago

June 13, 2017

ALMOST two years to the next general elections in Nigeria; various political gladiators have engaged in serious political activities, especially to be in control of the internal organs of the existing political parties. The battle for the soul of the parties is becoming vigorous due to perceived fragment.

It is obvious that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State is currently undergoing such challenge as the party sharply divided into two major splinter groups, labeled LAMIST and SENACO. Members of the LAMIST group are said to be loyal to a former leader of the party in the state, late Lam Adesina.

While the SENACO members were those that worked with the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi when he contested the governorship election of the state in 2007 on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

However, the Executive Assistant on political matters to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Barrister Morohunkola Thomas in this interview with Mega Icon Magazine described the claims of loyalty to SENACO and LAMIST as a creation of lazy members of the party.

Excerpts:

Is it true that there is crisis in Oyo APC?

Crisis? I can’t see it.

Some people are accusing the governor of not running an all inclusive government, that party-government relationship is not cordial as it should be?

Who are the people in government here, are they not party members? You want to talk about the SENACO , LAMIST which is a figment of people’s imagination. People use that to corner things for themselves. In this government which Governor Ajimobi is a leader, the so called SENACO and LAMIST, have their members here but when people don’t get certain things they would say they lost it because they belong to SENACO or LAMIST.

If you are not popular within your local government, if you are not hardworking within the party and you are not recommended by your people, you may never get anything .The governor will never appoint somebody without due consultation and involvement of the leaders in the party , he is always waiting for recommendations of the leaders.

Take for instance, the newly appointed local government caretaker chairmen, the governor set up a selection and appointment committee made up of leaders from all the seven zones, these were the people that sat down to take nominations from the various local governments and made their recommendations to the governor. Many of the local government chairmen that were sworn in were never known personally by the governor so you have to go back to the local government, you have to work in your wards and local governments, forget about whether you are SENACO or you are LAMIST, those things don’t work again.

What is LAMIST? Those people that said they are following Lam Adesina, you don’t follow a dead person, and what is SENACO, they said Senator Ajimobi Campaign Organization, is Ajimobi a Senator ? He is a governor now so there is no Senator Ajimobi Campaign Organization again, that organization existed in 2003, the man stop being a Senator in 2007, he is a governor now and the governor has said this issue of SENACO, LAMIST is the creation of lazy people in the party, people who don’t have intimidating credentials that will make way for them, within the system and now hide under the fact that I didn’t get it because I am SENACO, or I got it because I am LAMIST, that is not true, those era of LAMISM, SENACOISM is gone in our party.

What about the claims that the governor is not in tune with majority of the party executives and members?

Well I don’t know about that. The party executives were elected into office at a congress in 2014 and by 2018 their time will be up, you have to come for re-election. Has this governor removed anybody from the executives? He hasn’t and some governors have dissolved the executives in their states, but governor Ajimobi has been magnanimous enough.

Remember, these executives that are in place now, he was not the one that put them there, he had the opportunity of changing them in 2014 but he did not do so, so there is no problem when the time comes for the new executives to be put there, if you are interested you can take a nomination form, you run for the election, if the people elect you so be it, Ajimobi will not be party chairman, he is the leader of the party.

But party members are worried about the new concept of Directorate which seems to be alien?

There is nothing alien about that, if you read the constitution of APC very well, it makes serious profound clearly stated provision for the establishment of Directorate in the party, as a matter of fact, the constitution state very clearly, unambiguously that the directors ought to run the party , its only the party secretary that is supposed to be running it with them, all other members of the executives should be coming once in a while, so what we are running now is not a constitutionally provided situation, it is the convention, a tradition.

The constitution says a director should be there . Let me tell you something, late Chief Owoade was the Director of Finance and Admin in the party, if there is a desire now to have more directors in line with position held by Chief Owoade, what is wrong with that? Don’t forget also, when we were in Alliance for Democracy (AD) Opeyemi Bamidele was our Director of Publicity in AD that time even though, we have a National Publicity Secretary.

It was from there that Opeyemi Bamidele becomes Commissioner for Information in Lagos state, go back to the UPN days, Chief Ebenezer Babatope was the Director of Organization for the UPN even though there was an Organising Secretary, and Chief Ajuluchukwu was the Director of Publicity for the party. So having directorate in the party is not alien, it is in the constitution, in the AD it was there, in the UPN it was there so if APC put it in the constitution it should be implemented.

Who are those eligible to be members of the said Directorate?

That depends on the leaders of the party but they have to be members of the party who are qualified in their various fields. For instance, if you want to be a director of finance in the party now you must be a qualified accounting officer and expert in financial matters, this is a modern party, we are not running NPN, we are running APC.

Aspirants are already claiming to have secured Ajimobi’s endorsement, as a political adviser to the governor, has the governor anointed any candidate?

Does it make sense for anybody in May 2017 to be anointing somebody that will take over in May 2019? You know he is in position, he is the governor, if anybody is saying that Ajimobi has endorsed anybody they are illiterates, those who says Ajimobi has thrown his weight behind anybody are political illiterates. I say that with all sense of responsibilities that they don’t know what they are saying.

Ajimobi has no anointed candidate, he has not told me, I have not seen it in his body language, it’s a level playing ground for everybody, many people will still join the race.
How would you react to the perceived crisis in your party as over 35 aspirants jostle for governorship ticket?

Very easy! There are pretenders to the throne. There are people who are coming out because they want to use it to negotiate, its all part of politicking and I want to say that in 2011 there are about 11 people who jostled for the same seat with Governor Ajimobi before he got it. So in 2019, somebody will get it, when we get to the bridge we shall cross it.

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Politics

‎Oyo: Oseni Supports Gbagi/Ogunpa Traders With N50m, 5 Boreholes, 200 Solar Lights

Published

5 hours ago

August 12, 2026

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• rallies support for Tinubu, APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has supported traders at Gbagi/Ogunpa Market in Ibadan with a N50m grant, five boreholes and 200 solar-powered lights.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced the interventions during an enlarged meeting with the leadership and members of 11 traders’ associations in the market on Tuesday.

According to the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the N50m grant was to strengthen the traders’ businesses and helping them cope with the challenges affecting their businesses.

‎The lawmaker said the five boreholes would improve access to water in the market, while the 200 solar lights would enhance security and trading activities. He added that the lights were also part of his support for the traders’ ‘Light Up Ogunpa’ initiative.

Oseni urged the traders to support President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates, saying the Federal Government’s economic reforms were aimed at addressing some of the challenges confronting the country.

He cited the removal of fuel subsidy, the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and increased investment in infrastructure as some of the measures being implemented to redirect resources to areas with wider social and economic benefits.

“Some of these reforms have come with sacrifices, but we must also look at what they are intended to achieve. Resources that were tied down can now be deployed to infrastructure, education and other areas that directly affect the people,” Oseni said.

The APC chieftain also said the reforms in the foreign exchange market had addressed the previous multiple-rate system, adding that periods of relative stability showed that the measures were beginning to address some of the distortions in the system.

“We may not have reached where we want to be, but there have been changes. The foreign exchange market has been reformed, and now the benefits of these reforms are gradually reaching ordinary Nigerians,” he said.

The traders, represented by the leader of the Footwear Dealers Association of Oyo State, Elder Kolawole Alabi, and the President of the First Gbagi Ogunpa Joint Traders Association, Olaitan Adams, commended Oseni for the interventions.

They described the engagement as significant, saying it demonstrated that the lawmaker understood the challenges confronting traders and small business owners.

The traders pledged their support for Oseni, Tinubu and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists, the lawmaker stressed that the intervention was part of his continued engagement with traders, artisans and other stakeholders across Oyo South.

‎The statement added that Oseni would continue to support initiatives capable of improving livelihoods and strengthening grassroots businesses, maintaining that effective representation must produce tangible benefits for the people.

Politics

‎Rep Oseni Gives Ibadan Motor Parts Dealers N90m Support, Donates 100 Solar Lights

Published

4 days ago

August 8, 2026

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Aderemi Oseni, has unveiled a N90 million support package for motor parts dealers at the Araromi Gate Market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

‎Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced the intervention on Saturday during an engagement with traders at the market.
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‎The package comprises a N50 million interest-free revolving loan and a N40 million grant for traders operating in the four major sections of the market — car, lorry, tyre and iron.
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‎In addition to the financial support, Oseni donated 100 solar-powered streetlights to the market and pledged to take responsibility for the monthly salaries of the market’s Baale and chiefs.
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‎The lawmaker said the intervention was designed to strengthen the businesses of the traders and improve their contribution to the local economy.

He said, “The motor parts dealers are critical drivers of the local economy. We must continue to support them so that they can expand their businesses, improve their livelihoods and contribute more to the economy.”
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‎Oseni explained that the N50 million revolving loan would be provided without interest, while the N40 million grant would serve as an empowerment package for traders across the four sections of the market.
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‎He said the provision of solar-powered streetlights was also intended to improve security and extend the conducive environment for commercial activities within the market.
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‎The APC candidate further called on the traders to continue supporting the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the Federal Government’s reforms were beginning to produce positive results.
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‎He also appealed for the support of the traders for APC candidates in the state, expressing confidence that the party would emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections.
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‎Earlier, the Chairman of Araromi Gate Market Motor Parts Dealers, Alhaji Ojo Azeez, commended Oseni for his contributions to the development of Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.
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‎Azeez said the traders had confidence in Oseni’s leadership and ability to fulfil his promises.
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‎“We believe in your achievements so far. By the grace of Almighty God, you shall defeat your opponents hands down,” he said.
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‎The chairmen of the four sections of the market also pledged their support for Oseni, President Tinubu and other APC candidates.
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‎The meeting was attended by the Baale of the market, Alhaji Raimi Ewebiyi, as well as leaders and representatives of the various groups and sections within the market.

Politics

Oyo APC: Makinde Would Have Sold Nigeria If He Were President

Published

1 week ago

August 5, 2026

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The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has launched a fresh attack on Governor Seyi Makinde, saying Nigeria was fortunate not to have elected him President in 2023, alleging that he would have “sold the country to interested buyers” for personal gain.

The opposition party made the claim while responding to Makinde’s recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which the governor reportedly described as ill-conceived during the unveiling of candidates of the Allied People’s Movement for the 2027 elections in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday.

Makinde, who was represented at the event, also declared his determination to ensure that the APC is voted out of power in the 2027 general election.

Reacting in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Oyo APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, dismissed the governor’s remarks, insisting that no amount of criticism would persuade Nigerians to replace President Tinubu with Makinde.

The party said Tinubu’s record, experience and leadership credentials were far superior to those of the Oyo governor, adding that Makinde’s political ambition for the presidency stood little chance in 2027.

“The difference between President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde in terms of experience, reputation and results is like the distance between heaven and earth. No amount of warped criticism or shadow boxing will make Nigerians choose a failed governor over a performing President,” the statement read.

The APC further argued that although Tinubu’s economic reforms had attracted criticism in some quarters, they had also received commendation from international financial institutions and development partners, who, according to the party, acknowledged the administration’s efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s economy.

It also accused the Makinde administration of failing to translate increased federal allocations into meaningful development in Oyo State, alleging that the state had little to show in critical areas such as infrastructure, security and job creation.

The party further alleged that Makinde had transferred many of the state’s assets to private interests, claiming that if he had been President, he would have considered selling national assets as a solution to Nigeria’s economic challenges.

“As a matter of fact, Governor Makinde would have considered selling Nigeria as the best option if he had been President and faced with the challenges President Tinubu inherited in 2023. Nigerians will never make the mistake of entrusting him with the country’s mandate,” Sadare stated.

The APC maintained that President Tinubu remained focused on repositioning the country despite prevailing economic difficulties and expressed confidence that Nigerians would renew the party’s mandate in the 2027 general election.