Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across six local government areas in Oyo State have applauded the party’s leadership for successfully conducting its ward, local government, and state congresses without incident.
The stakeholders, drawn from Akinyele, Egbeda, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole, and Ona-Ara LGAs, expressed their views in a communiqué issued after their quarterly meeting held in Ibadan.
Signed by Chairman Kamorudeen Ajisafe and Secretary Buliaminu Ogundele, the communiqué noted that the peaceful outcome of the congresses defied widespread fears rooted in the controversies that marred similar exercises in 2018 and 2022.
“Before the congresses, there were strong concerns about potential disputes based on past experiences. However, with the successful conclusion of the process, critics have been proven wrong, and the party has emerged stronger and more united,” the stakeholders stated.
They attributed the smooth conduct of the exercise to the leadership’s adoption of a consensus approach, as well as the maturity and discipline displayed by party members throughout the process.
According to them, the congresses were conducted peacefully across all 351 wards and 33 local government areas in the state, with no recorded cases of violence.
The group also congratulated former deputy governor Moses Adeyemo on his emergence as the new state chairman, pledging their full support to his leadership in advancing the party’s goals ahead of the 2027 elections.
While expressing optimism, the stakeholders urged Adeyemo to address lingering disputes in some local government areas to further strengthen party cohesion.
However, they raised concerns over what they described as an imbalance in the party’s zoning arrangement at both the South-West zonal and national levels. The stakeholders called on the APC’s national leadership to review the current structure to ensure fairness and better representation for Oyo State.
They argued that given the state’s significant population, voting strength, and human resources, it deserves a more prominent role within the party’s national framework.
“We call for justice and fairness in the zoning of positions before it is too late,” the communiqué concluded.
