Fresh cracks in Ogun APC over LG polls

Aspirants in the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) wards and local government primaries who lost out have accused the party leaders of imposition of unpopular aspirants, warning that except something is done to save the situation, the party may be thrown into avoidable crisis ahead of the forthcoming local government elections, reports ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

The just concluded local government primary elections of the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have created new cracks in the ruling party as various groups and camps within the party argue over the final outcomes across the state. To choose its chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the forthcoming local election in the state, the APC made use of what its leaders described as a combination of consensus, direct and indirect primaries.

But checks by The Nation revealed that allegations of imposition and marginalisation are now rife within the party, with some party chieftains and members accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun and some other leaders of his political camp within the APC of treating other groups and leaders outside his own unfairly in the nominations of the APC candidates for the July 24 local council elections in the state. Sources within the party say if not checked, the unfolding development may return the APC in Ogun State to its crisis ridden past.

But the Publicity Secretary of the state caretaker committee of the party, Tunde Oladunjoye, debunked the allegations and exonerated the governor and or his associates from any wrongdoing as far as the nomination process went across the state. According to Oladunjoye while responding to some of the allegations trailing the conduct of primary elections ahead of the LG election in the state, the governor, right from the beginning, insisted that due processes should be followed in the nomination of candidates.

He explained that while party leaders and other stakeholders were able to agree on consensus candidates in some council areas, the party, through direct or indirect primary elections, as the case may be, nominated candidates in the local government areas where consensus failed to produce acceptable candidates for the APC. The Nation also gathered that at a point in the process, the governor and the state leadership of the APC left the process in the hands of party leaders in the various local governments, but intrigues made consensus impossible in many council areas.

After weeks of waiting for the party’s final decision on the primary elections conducted last month across the state, the APC in Ogun State had last week released its list of chairmanship and vice chairmanship candidates for the July election in the 20 local government areas of the state. While most of the candidates emerged through consensus among party leaders and other stakeholders, the list also featured names of some candidates who emerged victorious during the May primary elections in the state.

Grievances

Hardly had the list become public before some members of the party started raising alarm over alleged imposition of candidates ahead of July 24, 2021 local government elections in the state. During the week, a group, under the auspices of ‘Concerned APC Members’, called on Governor Abiodun to save the party from a serious crisis by intervening in the matter urgently. Their grouse was made public in a statement signed by an Ikenne Local Government-based chieftain of the party, Sonuga Ramoni.

The group alleged that the procedures adopted by some party leaders to choose chairmanship candidates in several local government areas in the state were not credible. “We need to let the whole world know that the procedures adopted by some leaders of the party in many wards and local government areas grossly fell short of the directive by the governor for candidates to emerge either through consensus or primaries. Some desperate party leaders have been imposing candidates to the detriment of our great party.

“We are, therefore, concerned that if the agitation occasioned by the undemocratic selection of chairmanship and councillorship candidates is not looked into, it may spell doom for our party. Certainly, what we abhor is the disintegration of the party. We want Governor Dapo Abiodun and top party leaders to allow democracy to play its role by ensuring that the names of chairmanship and councillorship candidates, as recently announced by the leaders of wards in the just concluded primaries in their various wards, be submitted by the party and not those who lost out in the primaries but are now being smuggled through the backdoor because they know one party leader or the other.

“Except justice is served on this matter, this great injustice may lead to avoidable crises in the party and the upcoming local government election,” the statement read in part. Similarly, another group in Abeokuta, the state capital, while addressing the media on Thursday, cautioned the governor and his supporters against dividing the party further with what they called “winner takes all” attitude. The group, named APC Stakeholders Forum, lamented alleged imposition of candidates by the governor’s allies across the state.

Speaking on behalf of others, Deacon Sola Sorunke said the just concluded nomination exercise, if not reversed, will spell doom for APC in Ogun State. “I am a founding member of the APC in Ogun State and a loyal party member. And so are all the people here present. We participated in the process and we can tell you that the nomination exercises were fraught with irregularities and anomalies orchestrated by those who tell whoever questions them to complain to the governor.

“At a time when we should be healing the wounds in our party, these corrupt leaders practiced ‘winner takes all’ and excluded people who they called ‘Amosun loyalists’ from the process. We complained and we were told to go and tell the governor. While we will remain loyal to the APC; we call on the governor to take steps to rid the party of sectionalism and segregation. APC belongs to all of us and there should be no reason why some people will lord their wishes over others in an undemocratic manner,” he said

At a meeting they held on Thursday at Baba Olomi area of Sagamu, numerous supporters of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun also expressed surprise at the treatment of some aspirants by certain leaders across the state during the nomination exercise. Speakers after speakers at the meeting condemned the entire process and urged leaders of the party within and outside the state to call the governor to order in the interest of the party.

A chieftain of the party, Elder Olayiwola Adio Odunsi, while speaking to reporters in Abeokuta during the week, said while it is indeed true that some party members are not happy with how the party leaders handled the emergence of candidates for the July 24 local government elections, the decisions were taken in the interest of the party. He added that the governor was quite aware of this and he would ensure that the grey areas are sorted out.

Appeals for calm

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party, Lanre Oyegbola-Sodipo, appealed to all the aspirants that participated in the party’s primaries to be calm and continue to maintain party cohesion. Oyegbola-Sodipo, who also contested for the party’s ticket for the chairmanship position for Abeokuta North Local Government, said the unity of the party is the most important priority now because division within the party could rob APC the desired overwhelming victory in the upcoming election.

”We must accept that in every contest, there must be a winner, and there must be a loser. Our party leaders at local government, the state APC and the governor of our state, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, have made the final decision on the screening and party primaries conducted by the APC screening committees across the 20 LGAs in Ogun State. I believe the decision they have made is in the best interest of our great party. So, we must respect their decision as faithful party men and women. I call on my fellow contestants, therefore, to let us close ranks. What is paramount for us at this time is how we can mobilise resources and support for APC and its candidates to win the election.

“We can only achieve this if we unite, and unity is only possible if we can all give peace a chance. As the saying goes, a house divided against itself, cannot stand. As progressives, we should have great faith and confidence in our leaders and the party. It is expedient, therefore, that we all unite and queue behind our next chairmen and councilors. Let us go back to our teeming supporters and tell them that; we must accept this decision by our leaders,” he said.

Similarly, Elder Odunsi, has urged all chairmanship and councillorship aspirants who felt shortchanged in the process to have confidence in the capability of the governor to ensure that justice prevails. “I want to urge all our teeming party members to remain committed to working for the victory of the party in the forthcoming local government elections. Our dutiful governor is well aware of all the grievances and I have that assurance that with his God’s given wisdom, everything will be resolved amicably and for the progress of our dear party, APC. So, let’s remain united and keep working for the progress of our party, APC,” he said.