Politics
Why Tinubu must call Oyo stakeholders’ meeting ahead of Inauguration – Group gives reason
As Nigerians look forward to the swearing-in of a new president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29th, a group, under the aegis of Greater Oyo State Forum has appealed to the new president to rally notable leaders and stakeholders that worked for the actualization of his electoral victory in the Pacesetter State for a meeting ahead of the Inauguration Day.
The group noted that such a meeting would allow the leaders to pay their homage to the new president because there hasn’t been any such ‘congratulatory visit’ to Tinubu since February when he won at the poll.
According to Greater Oyo State Forum, such a visit would engender mutual trust among the people of the State and the President-elect because they are already worried that the State hasn’t been properly represented, notwithstanding the visit of G5 Governors to the President-elect, where the Governor Seyi Makinde of the State also featured prominently.
Drawing an inference from other Southwest States where key stakeholders had visited the President-elect, the group said the deaths of its prominent leaders especially two former Governors and first-class Royal Fathers, shouldn’t be an excuse not to have other pro-Tinubu leaders making it to Abuja on Congratulatory visit.
The new president won on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Makinde, though a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member surreptitiously supported Tinubu of APC to win all the 33 local governments during the recently held presidential election of 2023.
The Greater Oyo State Forum in a signed press statement by its Chairman, Hon. Simeon Adeleke said:: several eminent people of the State; traditional rulers, religious leaders, women groups, market men and women led by the Babaloja and Iyaloja and others supported Asiwaju to clinch landslide victory spanning all the 33 local governments during the election.
‘On the political side, the wife of former Governor of the State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi; a serving Executive Secretary of National Sugar Development Council, Mr. Zacch Adedeji; a notable philanthropist who doubles as the Chairman/CEO, of Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, Engr. Dotun Sanusi, among others, worked for the success of Mr. President-elect before and during the election.
‘Asiwaju should open his doors to the people of Oyo State to rejoice with him like other States have been doing.
‘We are the first set of people to endorse Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in all the States of Southwestern Nigeria.
‘Our traditional rulers including Ibadan senior Chiefs, Mogajis, Baales, and others organised several rallies across Ibadanland and Oyo State. On many occasions, Ilaji stadium in Akanran, Ona Ara local government was the venue for such events.
‘We can say Tinubu’s presidency was a collective effort and our incoming President must not ostracize Oyo State in the scheme of things. He needs to have our people as the cornerstone of his administration. He should create an interface with our people and leaders before the inauguration later this month.
‘It is ironic that since February, almost three months after Asiwaju was declared as the winner, none of these great sons and daughters of our State have been hosted or allowed to pay a congratulatory visit to the incoming president.
‘This group observes that other States have had their leaders hosted by the President-elect but Oyo State which posted the best result in the Southwest geopolitical zone has not been opportune to have its leaders visiting the new leader of our country.
‘Should this continue till when Asiwaju takes the oath of office as the most powerful leader of the most populous black nation of the world, how would it be possible to ensure that our people enjoy dividends of their sacrifice(s) during the struggles to get Mr. President elected?
‘It is therefore a matter of urgency that the Stakeholders from the State rally themselves to also congratulate the President-elect, with a view of positioning our State for the task ahead especially as it concerns Federal presence, political patronages, and infrastructural facilities of the new government of the federation for all the geopolitical zones of our State,’ Adeleke added.
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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