“While we were not expecting slots to be so allocated to us, we expected a process that will be fair, equitable and meritorious.”
ABEOKUTA// July 5, 2021,// The Believe Movement, a socio-political subgroup within the Ogun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have urged the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to promote fairness and equity in the affairs of the party.
The group, loyal to a chieftain of the party and three-time gubernatorial candidate in the state, Prince Gboyega NasirIsiaka, described as dispiriting, the continued actions by certain individuals within the APC to sabotage the interests of its members who have shown unwavering commitment to the party’s cause since it’s joining in January 2020.
These concerns were raised in a communique issued after a state meeting of stakeholders of the group in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital over the weekend.
Isiaka’s loyalists noted that a political caucus within the APC had been consistently favoured at the expense of others, saying this negated Governor Abiodun’s pledge to be fair, just and equitable to all.
The signed communique reads in part:”As a group, despite our electoral strength and the competencies resident within us, what we find offending to our sensibilities is the attempt by certain interest within the system, to deprive us of our today and also jeopardize our tomorrow.”
“This is basically about who determines who gets what within the party primarily and in government to a large extent. We must not promote a situation in the party today whereby anyone who desires opportunities within the party and government – must pledge loyalty to a particular group before you are worthy of consideration.”
The communique stated further, “While this observation has been long coming, the recent exercise to pick candidates for the forthcoming local government elections further affirmed the need for a more sincere accommodation of all groups within the party.”
“While we were not expecting slots to be so allocated to us, we expected a process that will be fair, equitable and meritorious. But in few areas where we even had aspirants – who emerged on merit, the system conspired against them, citing that they did not belong to a certain group”.
The group then called on the governor to accommodate the interest of major stakeholders in the forthcoming party congresses, saying this would mark him out as a true leader.
“We implore the leader of the party in Ogun State, HE Prince Dapo Abiodun to show more fundamental interest in how the affairs of the party are being run. A party is a composition of individuals and different groups. It must be the interest of the leader to ensure that all stakeholders are given a sense of belonging at all times and in all locations across the state.”
“We cannot afford our future to be endangered by a process that promotes the interest of a group over and above all others. We ask that urgent redress should be done before the congresses to elect new officers into the party are held.”
“The forthcoming congresses (Ward, Local Government and State) must be done to reflect the strength and capacity of all grouping within the party – as a minimum show of emancipation and desire to have a strong and united party as we prepare towards 2023.” it submitted.
The Believe Movement group, however, commended the developmental strides of the Abiodun administration in the last two years especially in the areas of Housing, Agriculture and Roads.
