…Warn Party Is at a Dangerous Crossroads
By Olusesan Laoye
The aggrieved G-5 governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have alleged that certain forces within the party are shielding President Bola Tinubu from the true state of affairs in the state chapter, warning that the party is heading toward a dangerous crossroads.
The aspirants, who recently attended a reconciliation meeting in Abuja but said they remain uncertain about the next steps the party’s national leadership intends to take regarding their complaints over the governorship primary, expressed concern over what they described as the continued silence of the APC leadership.
The aggrieved aspirants are former Deputy Governor Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, Musbau Asatola Asanike, Engr. Oyedele Akeem Aloa, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, and Dr. Usman Ololade Bakare.
In a joint statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the aspirants said their greatest concern was that President Tinubu was not being given firsthand information about the real situation within the Oyo APC.
According to them, “There are forces deliberately shielding President Bola Tinubu from firsthand information on the true state of Oyo APC. A national leader cannot steer the party correctly when ground realities are censored or hidden from his knowledge. The party will bear the consequences of decisions made in a vacuum.”
The group warned that the Oyo APC was on the brink of a major crisis, lamenting that some party members had already begun conceding the 2027 governorship election to the opposition before the campaign had even begun.
“A house that concedes before the contest is a house with a broken foundation. Oyo APC is fast becoming a case study in democratic recession, where dissent is treated as disloyalty,” the statement read.
The aspirants further argued that the current state of the party no longer reflected the ideals of the APC.
“What is being presented today as APC in Oyo is a distortion of our identity. It departs from the principles of inclusive democracy, participation and comradeship that define our party. Instead of building consensus, some individuals are building walls. A party that abandons internal solidarity cannot expect to command external loyalty at the polls,” they stated.
They also warned that many members who felt marginalised were beginning to consider leaving the party.
“The people, confronted with marginalisation, are concluding that they must exercise their freedom of choice with or without the party structure. Mass defection is looming. We are deeply worried, and we are sounding this warning.”
The G-5 aspirants also expressed concern over what they described as increasing reliance on manipulation and institutional compromise rather than democratic processes.
“A party founded on progressive ideals cannot mortgage its future through anti-democratic shortcuts. If this continues, Oyo APC will face the consequences of failure in 2027. History does not spare those who ignore warning signs. Once the people walk away, no architect of desperation can rebuild the castle,” they said.
The group maintained that loyalty to President Tinubu should be demonstrated through transparency, discipline and democratic leadership rather than exploiting his national responsibilities to pursue what they described as an exclusionary agenda in Oyo State.
“Power is temporary. No darkness lasts forever. Those reaping where they did not sow and who have consistently benefited from opportunities within the party should remember that seasons change and harvests do not remain the same,” they added.
Reaffirming their commitment to the APC, the aspirants stressed that their position should not be interpreted as a threat but as a sincere appeal aimed at saving the party.
“If democracy fails in Oyo State, it weakens the South-West and diminishes Nigeria’s democratic example. Truth, like smoke, cannot be hidden forever,” they said.
They recalled the setbacks suffered by the APC in the 2018 and 2022 elections, warning that similar mistakes must not be repeated.
“The signs are already evident. Some individuals appear comfortable with the party losing again. The leadership of the APC must urgently intervene in the affairs of the Oyo chapter to prevent a repeat of past failures,” the statement concluded.