Politics
SENACO, LAMIST are creations of lazy people in Oyo APC – Morohunkola Thomas.
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.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the Governor of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, saying Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals and secure a second term in office.
According to Oladiji, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oluwole Oluyede, garnered 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, secured 12,872 votes.
She said 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. The electoral umpire also announced that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration capped a governorship poll largely adjudged peaceful by observers and security agencies, despite complaints of malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, delayed commencement of voting in some polling units and allegations of voter intimidation by opposition parties.
INEC said voting was conducted in all the 2,445 polling units across the state’s 16 local government areas, noting that 2,257 units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8.30 a.m., while 188 polling units commenced accreditation and voting before 10.30 a.m. after experiencing minor delays.
The commission also commenced uploading polling unit results to its Results Viewing Portal shortly after the completion of voting and counting in several centres.
The PDP candidate, Oluyede, had expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area, alleging that many prospective voters were disenfranchised due to BVAS-related challenges.
Speaking with journalists after voting at Polling Unit 006, he further alleged cases of harassment and intimidation of voters in the area.
Some elderly voters at the polling unit also lamented difficulties encountered during accreditation and urged INEC to urgently rectify the technical glitches.
The ADC candidate, Bejide, similarly alleged irregularities during the exercise.
However, Oyebanji dismissed the claims, insisting that those making allegations of electoral misconduct should provide credible evidence to support them.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the election as satisfactory and urged eligible voters yet to cast their ballots to do so peacefully.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of election security, Abayomi Shogunle, said no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies throughout the exercise.
Election observers commended the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the poll but raised concerns over procedural inconsistencies.
The First Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sebastian Anyia, described the process as orderly and peaceful, saying voter turnout was encouraging.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, lauded the resilience of female voters, many of whom remained at polling units for several hours with their children to exercise their franchise.
Yiaga Africa, however, expressed concern over discrepancies involving ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates, warning that such inconsistencies could create challenges during collation and reconciliation of results.
The election observer group urged INEC to provide further clarification on the final list of participating parties and candidates and issue clear guidance to electoral officials handling result documentation.
Ahead of the poll, INEC and security agencies had repeatedly assured residents of their preparedness to deliver a peaceful, credible and transparent election, deploying personnel and restricting vehicular movement to forestall electoral violence and other offences.
The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has rejected plans by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to conduct another local government election on December 26, 2026, describing the proposed exercise as illegal, premature and a calculated move to retain political influence at the grassroots beyond the governor’s tenure.
The party declared that it would neither participate in the election nor remain silent over what it termed an attempt to squander public resources on a process allegedly designed to install loyalists in the 33 local government councils and 351 wards across the state.
The controversy followed the decision of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to shift the date earlier fixed for January 2027 to December 26, 2026, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The move has continued to generate debate among political observers, many of whom have questioned the urgency of conducting another council poll barely six months before the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent chairmen and councillors elected in the 2024 local government elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC said it would not stop at boycotting the election but would also collaborate with “patriots and rational minds” to resist what it called an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers’ money.
The party accused Governor Makinde of lacking commitment to local government autonomy, alleging that the administration had exercised undue control over council resources for more than seven years.
“The whole world knows that Governor Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy and, when it comes to democracy at the grassroots, he cannot be trusted for anything,” the statement said.
The APC alleged that the proposed poll was aimed at positioning individuals loyal to the governor in local councils before his exit from office on May 29, 2027, arguing that such a move would enable him to sustain political influence after leaving the Agodi Government House.
According to the opposition party, expectations among many residents are centred on ongoing efforts by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen local government autonomy and ensure that councils enjoy direct access to their statutory allocations without interference from state governments.
The APC also linked what it described as poor development outcomes in some rural communities to the operation of the state-local government joint account system. It cited communities such as Ahoro Esiele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area, which have reportedly faced security challenges, as examples of areas where local government resources should have translated into visible improvements.
“It is sad that Governor Makinde appears determined to sustain a system that has left many rural communities vulnerable despite huge allocations accruing to local governments monthly,” the party said.
The opposition further dismissed the local government elections conducted in 2020 and 2024 as lacking credibility, alleging that winners emerged through predetermined outcomes rather than a transparent electoral process.
“The fraud called local government polls in 2020 and 2024 should be the last the people of Oyo State would witness. Governor Makinde and his supporters should bury any thought of staging another charade in which results are announced without genuine voting and public offices become tools for the diversion of public funds,” the statement added.
The APC consequently urged officials of OYSIEC to halt preparations for the proposed December election, warning against actions capable of undermining democratic values and public confidence in the electoral process.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Oyo State Government nor OYSIEC had issued an official response to the allegations raised by the opposition party.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, on Saturday mobilised thousands of artisans and traders across Oyo State in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Oseni said the support base of the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF), in collaboration with other stakeholders, was intensifying efforts to deliver one million votes for the President in the state.
Oseni, Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said artisans and traders must see themselves as critical stakeholders in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the success of the administration depends largely on grassroots participation.
The federal lawmaker spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during a stakeholders’ engagement with members of the ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations.
In a symbolic show of political readiness, scores of traders and artisans displayed their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while Oseni urged eligible Nigerians yet to register to obtain their voter cards ahead of the next general election.
He cautioned against vote-buying and vote-selling, warning that such practices threaten the future of democracy and mortgage the destiny of younger generations.
The meeting, according to Oseni, was also convened to deepen economic support for members through empowerment programmes targeted at strengthening businesses and improving livelihoods.
He announced that requests for a N250 million interest-free loan scheme for artisans and traders, construction of an artisans’ village with stable electricity supply, and health insurance support had received approval.
According to him, the loan facility will be administered through a microfinance bank under the Remi Oseni Foundation to ensure transparency, accessibility and sustainability.
He added that road and infrastructure projects across communities would remain a major priority.
Oseni, who is seeking to represent Oyo South Senatorial District in the next election cycle, also used the meeting to explain his decision to pursue a Senate seat instead of his earlier governorship ambition.
He said the move followed consultations with party leaders and supporters.
According to him, supporters deserved clarity on the political direction of the movement.
He said: “We convened this stakeholders’ meeting to review our present position. Before now, our focus was on leading Oyo State through the governorship. That was our clear objective as a movement, but today, it has become evident that God is directing us towards the Senate.
“Our people needed to understand the reasons for this decision, the position of the party and what we have accepted in the overall interest of our political future. It is not enough for leaders to take decisions. We owe our supporters explanations and must carry them along.
“We have encouraged them to embrace this opportunity in good faith and believe that greater opportunities still lie ahead.
“Many of them felt our governorship ambition would have delivered greater benefits, but we have reassured them that the government remains supportive and the future is bright.
“We have equally assured the President that our decision to pursue the Oyo South Senate seat will not affect the one million votes earlier promised him, because ROCOF structures across the 33 local government areas are fully mobilised and committed to his re-election.”
On the crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oseni said efforts were ongoing to reconcile aggrieved members, expressing confidence that outstanding differences would soon be resolved.
He described competing interests within the party as a reflection of the APC’s growing strength and political attractiveness.
Earlier, the Oyo State Coordinator of ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations, Alhaji Munirudeen Adegoke, described Oseni’s empowerment drive as a strategic investment capable of reducing unemployment, youth restiveness and poverty.
Adegoke said meaningful empowerment for artisans and traders must go beyond temporary palliatives.
According to him, sustainable support requires deliberate policies that guarantee access to capital, improved infrastructure and social protection.
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