AATSG National Chairman has warned that alleged imposition of candidates in Ogun APC could trigger a major crisis ahead of elections, citing Zamfara and PDP precedents
Ogun APC Faces Implosion as Tinubu Support Group Warns Against Candidate Imposition
The National Chairman of the Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu Support Group, Otunba (Dr) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo, has raised alarm over what he described as a looming implosion within the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State following allegations of planned imposition of candidates ahead of the party primaries.
Odunowo, in a strongly worded message circulated across political platforms and WhatsApp groups in the state, warned that abandoning democratic primaries for what he termed a “deeply unpopular consensus arrangement” could destabilise the ruling party and trigger widespread resentment among loyal members who had invested heavily in the process.
According to him, aspirants seeking seats in the State and National Assemblies collectively spent over ₦522 million on nomination and screening forms, only to now face fears that the contests may be manipulated in favour of preferred candidates and recent defectors.
He described the development as “a betrayal of the highest order,” insisting that loyal party members who had laboured for years to sustain the APC structure in Ogun State were being sidelined despite their sacrifices and financial commitments.
“Over ₦522 million was raised from dedicated House of Assembly aspirants during the screening process,” Odunowo stated. “Yet now, dark clouds of fear gather: genuine primaries may be abandoned in favor of a deeply unpopular consensus arrangement that threatens to tear at the very soul of our party.”
The APC chieftain warned that suppressing internal democracy could have severe electoral consequences for the party, stressing that bitterness arising from candidate imposition often leads to sabotage, defections and electoral defeat.
“This feels like a betrayal of the highest order — a sidelining of committed progressives who have labored tirelessly through thick and thin, only to watch recent defectors and those with questionable loyalty records allegedly positioned to take their places,” he said.
Drawing parallels with past political crises in Nigeria, Odunowo cited the 2019 Zamfara APC debacle where the Supreme Court nullified all victories secured by the party due to irregularities in the primary process. He also referenced the internal crisis that rocked the Peoples Democratic Party before the 2015 general elections, arguing that imposition and disregard for party loyalists contributed significantly to the PDP’s collapse at the national level.
He further recalled the 2007 Imo State PDP governorship crisis involving Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, noting that manipulation of party primaries eventually weakened the PDP and handed advantage to opposition forces.
“A political party does not grow stronger through decrees from above, but through the vibrant, sometimes messy, yet essential exercise of internal democracy,” Odunowo declared. “When loyal members are rewarded, when grassroots voices are heard, and when aspirants who have invested heavily are denied their opportunity, bitterness takes root.”
The AATSG chairman appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, elder statesman Olusegun Osoba and national leaders of the APC to urgently intervene and prevent the crisis from escalating.
He urged party leaders to ensure transparent and credible primaries capable of restoring confidence among grassroots members and preserving unity within the Ogun APC.
“The strength of our party lies not in imposition, but in fairness, credibility, inclusion and genuine respect for democratic processes,” he added. “If committed progressives continue to feel alienated while consensus is weaponized against loyalty and merit, the long-term consequences may prove painful and difficult to reverse.”
Odunowo concluded by warning that the judgment of history would rest on how party leaders respond to the growing agitation among loyalists in Ogun State, insisting that now was the time for “courageous leadership” capable of healing divisions before they spiral into a full-blown political crisis.
