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Some members of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State have alleged that the heightened call for the governorship ticket of the party to be zoned to the West Senatorial zone was an attempt to stifle internal democracy and strong-arm stakeholders into a contrived unanimity.
The APC members alleged that some chieftains of the party have been financially induced to key behind the ‘West Lokan’ agenda.
OSUN DEFENDER had reported that there is a sharp division in the APC with the camps of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and the National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, at loggerheads over where the ticket should go.
While Oyetola, who lost the last election to the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke is rooting for Bola Oyebamiji from Ikire, Basiru has also shown air jordan 1 low og florida gators pe interest in becoming the next governor of the state.
Speaking on the development, a member of the party from Irepodun Local Government, Afeez Igbalaye, questioned why party members should be railroaded into submission behind a candidate whose political popularity is questionable at best.
Igbalaye, in a statement, said the party is planning nike revolution 7 a kangaroo meeting today (Friday) in Iwo, where they will heighten the call for a West candidate.
The statement read, “Following the highstakes high-powered Brown Envelope financially greased deliberations in Ido-Osun last Sunday, a meeting has been conveyed for Friday, 31st January 2025, in Iwo. The outcome is very predictable.
“This gathering is nothing more than a rubber-stamp assembly where people are expected to nod in passive acquiescence to the press statement already written behind closed doors.
“The charade of endorsement under the guise of Osun West Lokan is a thinly veiled attempt to stifle internal democracy and strong-arm stakeholders into a contrived unanimity.
“It begs the question, why must an entire imbroglio senatorial district be railroaded into submission behind a candidate whose political popularity is questionable at best? A leader worth his salt does not require the crutches of zoning arrangements or backroom endorsements to ascend to prominence.
“True political legitimacy is forged in the crucible of electoral contestation, not through clandestine handshakes and brown envelopes exchanged in the corridors of power. This political strategy is replete with financial inducements and seeks not to persuade but to coerce.
“The orchestrators of this scheme appear to believe that the principles of representative democracy can be circumvented by the sheer force of monetary incentives. The implied understanding that ‘everything has been paid for’ reduces the democratic process to a transactional enterprise, wherein loyalty is purchased rather than earned.
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“To acquiesce to such machinations is to mortgage the future of the district on the altar of expediency. Rather than being cowed into submission by the allure of immediate pecuniary gains, the stakeholders must rise in defiance against this subversion of democratic ethos.
“The electorate must reject the contrivance of zoning as a tool for political exclusion and instead insist on a free and competitive process where merit, not clandestine endorsements, determines the eventual flagbearer.
“The time has come to send an unequivocal message, democracy thrives on competition, not coercion. A popular candidate should command loyalty through credibility, competence, and grassroots appeal, not through the manipulation of party structures to eliminate viable contenders.
“To say yes to zoning under these circumstances is to say no to democracy. Everyone attending the meeting tomorrow should collect their envelope for transport fare, refreshments, and airtime; everything has been paid for, including media coverage.”
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, has confirmed that the party leaders were at one of the ‘Agba Osun’ houses in Ido Osun to throw their weight behind the West agenda.
Adeleke, in a letter to members of the party, accused a group within the APC supporting the aspiration of the National Secretary, Osun APC Liberation Movement, for issuing a statement that could divide the party.
“The group has misinterpreted my stance on zoning. I never said communities or associations can’t agitate for their desires. It’s legitimate for the West Senatorial District to seek a governorship candidate, just as it’s acceptable for Ile-Ife or Osogbo to do the same.
“Labeling genuine aspirations as “misguided zonal intrigues AcmShops Marketplace , JORDAN AIR JORDAN XXXIV LOW , Mens jordan jumpman 2020 royal blue bq3448 401 release date Retro Royalty Cool Grey 2021 GS” is unfair. It attacks the sensibility of community members. If their preferred candidate wins the party ticket, won’t they need the support of those they are now criticizing?
“In their write up am sure they consulted so many encyclopaedia to get powerful English words to bash and attack me (Laughable) for asking for oneness in our party. The group accused me of leading a team to Baba Ajao in Ido-Osun to plead for zoning of our party’s Governorship ticket to the west if our Leader, Governor Oyetola, is no longer interested in contesting for the exalted seat.
“They got their information wrong because I did not lead the team but was one of the members of the team who went to throw our weight and supports behind the leaders of the zone in the agitation for the ticket for their zone.
“I cannot deny the fact that I was part of the delegation Exclusive: Cowboys Great Darren Woodson Reacts To Safeties Going into Canton – 'Awesome!' – FanNation Dallas Cowboys News, Analysis and More because it was not a secret meeting as we have nothing to hide. But wait ooo let me ask you even if I led the team how is that tantamount to a fractious political Machinations?
“The piece, which, ironically, embodies the same divisive spirit our party chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, cautioned against is riddled with name-calling, bashing, and personal attacks that can only serve to fragment our party.
“I’m perplexed as to why the group wants me to engage in a similar manner. Instead, I offer you a word of wisdom: “Those whose palm kernels were cracked with a benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.”
“If you as a group is seeking someone to engage in a destructive debate, I’m not your man. Let’s maintain a spirit of humility and unity, recognizing that our party’s strength lies in its cohesion. I implore the group to redirect their energies toward constructive engagement, rather than tearing us apart.
“As I continue to advocate for a West senatorial district candidacy, should our respected leader, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, decline to seek re-election, I urge every member of our party to refrain from personal attacks. Let’s channel our energies toward outwitting the opposition, rather than each other.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
