Five governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop alleged imposition of candidates to avoid a repeat of mistakes of the party in the 2019 and 2023 elections in the state.
The aspirants made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Monday to address the outcome of the APC House of Representatives primary, held in the state at the weekend.
The five governorship aspirants included a former deputy governor of the state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, Barrister, Akeem Agbaje (Adehun), Eng Hakeem Alao (Allow Alao), Prince Musbau Asatola Asanike and Dr Ololade Usman Bakare.
Stating that their position on the ongoing developments in the party was driven by love and commitment to democracy, the five Oyo APC governorship aspirants demanded for justice, unity, and fair path to the 2027 elections.
They added that they were also acting in their capacity as stakeholders and custodians of the APC democratic ethos, having engaged in extensive consultations with relevant party leaders, concerned party faithful, and aggrieved members across the state.
“We tried division in Oyo APC in 2019, and we got the result. We did the same thing in 2023 and we got the same result. We want to do it differently to get a different result.
“We are not saying the President doesn’t have his voice but they should stop using his name and the Presidency to spread false impressions.
“We are not here as dissidents. We don’t say we don’t want to take instructions from the president; he is our leader and father of all.
“Our vision and mind are clear. Our vision is on how to get APC back to power in Oyo State in 2027. But we must do something differently to get back to power, learning from the mistakes of 2019 and 2023.”
They unequivocally rejected what they said were compromised direct primaries, adding that such an exercise would compromise the will of the majority of the people.
The five Oyo APC governorship aspirants alleged that the House of Representatives primary was attended by widespread intimidation, disenfranchisement, arbitrary disqualification, and widespread grievance among party members.
They also alleged the imposition of rejected candidates, fabrication of results in constituencies where no election was held, existential threat to the electoral prospects of APC in 2027 and deliberate infliction of injury on party members through flawed and exclusionary processes.
They declared that the likely consequences of the identified lapses in the primaries included mass defection, loss of grassroots mobilisation capacity, and irreversible damage to the party’s electoral viability.
“Such exercises have historically bred imposition, alienation, and electoral losses for the APC in Oyo State. The integrity of the process is as critical as the outcome; when the process is flawed, the outcome lacks democratic legitimacy,” they stated.
The five governorship aspirants also averred that the way and manner the direct primaries were conducted was a violation of, and “antithetical to the spirit of the Electoral Act and the APC Constitution.
“These instruments enshrine fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for all aspirants. Imposition and intimidation cannot substitute for democratic participation.”
They, however, declared that they were not opposed to transparent consensus primary.
“On the contrary, consensus remains our preferred option because it provides the most credible path for the emergence of the best candidate. It is a mechanism that reflects the collective will of party members when properly conducted.
“Whatever Asiwaju Bola Tinubu says is binding as National leader. As loyal members of the APC, we hold that the voice of our leader and President is final in matters of party direction.
“Whoever he picks, after due consultation and consideration with leaders and stakeholders across the state, will be our resolve. We will abide by it without reservation,” they added.
They called for the intervention of President Tinubu, urging him to, as the APC national leader, “compel the national leadership and the Oyo State APC leadership to conduct free, fair and credible primaries in line with his well-known democratic credentials.
“Where consensus fails, free and fair primary elections must be conducted. In all instances observed to date, no transparent consensus process was instituted.
“Instead, imposition and intimidation have become the norm. This must cease if the party is to survive and triumph in 2027.
The five Oyo APC governorship aspirants therefore resolved as follows:
“We call on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to urgently intervene, conduct a thorough review of the House of Representatives primary elections in Oyo State, and address all petitions arising from the exercise—including illegal disqualifications and fabricated results—in accordance with the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms.
“We demand that any future electoral processes guarantee the free, informed, and uncoerced participation of all registered party members, without intimidation, exclusion, or manipulation.
“We appeal to Mr. President to intervene decisively and direct the Oyo State APC leadership to uphold democratic principles and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
“We urge the party leadership in Oyo State to immediately cease all actions and utterances that deepen division and to embrace genuine reconciliation grounded in justice, equity, and respect for the will of the majority.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the APC and its ideals. However, we will not remain silent while the party is driven toward avoidable defeat by undemocratic practices and the erosion of internal democracy.”
They thus concluded: “The APC in Oyo State stands at a critical crossroads.
“The choice before us is stark: either we return to the path of internal democracy, inclusiveness, and fairness, or we continue on a trajectory that guarantees division, disillusionment, and electoral loss in 2027.
“We choose the path of justice, the path of the people, and the path of democratic integrity. The time for corrective action is now.”
