by Otunba Abayomi Odunowo
History warns us from Zamfara’s total wipeout to PDP’s 2015 collapse sidelining committed progressives for recent defectors will crush grassroots enthusiasm and deliver avoidable electoral disaster. A passionate plea to President Tinubu, Chief Osoba, and APC leaders to save the soul of the party.
My fellow progressives, loyal sons and daughters of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, and true patriots of our progressive family, It is with a heavy heart, burdened by profound disappointment and righteous indignation, that I address the troubling reports emerging from our dear state. Over ₦522 million was raised from dedicated House of Assembly aspirants during the screening process men and women who poured their resources, time, sweat, and unwavering faith into the party they have served for years. 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.
This is not mere politics as usual. 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. Where is the justice in this? Where is the recognition for years of sacrifice, mobilization, and steadfast belief in the progressive ideal? Our loyal members feel abandoned, their aspirations crushed, their investments financial, emotional, and political treated as expendable. This breeds not just discontent, but a deep, festering wound that could fracture the foundation we have all worked so hard to build.
This is not the tradition of progressive politics. History has shown, time and again, the bitter harvest of candidate imposition. In Imo State in 2007, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume won the PDP governorship primaries convincingly, yet the party leadership imposed Charles Ugwu in his place. The resulting crisis led to Ararume’s expulsion, internal sabotage, and the PDP’s effective withdrawal from the race paving the way for the opposition’s victory. Similarly, in Zamfara State during the 2019 elections, the APC’s failure to adhere to proper primary processes (widely viewed as imposition and manipulation) resulted in the Supreme Court nullifying all 36 of the party’s electoral victories. Every governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly seat was lost to the PDP runners-up, delivering a humiliating and total wipeout.
The PDP’s broader experience before 2015 offers yet another painful lesson: widespread alienation through imposition and disregard for internal democracy triggered massive defections by five governors, dozens of senators and representatives, and key stakeholders. This internal hemorrhage critically weakened the party, eroded voter enthusiasm, and contributed directly to its historic defeat at the polls.
A political party does not grow stronger through decrees from above, but through the vibrant, sometimes messy, yet essential exercise of internal democracy. When loyal members are rewarded, when grassroots voices are heard, and when aspirants who have invested heavily purchasing forms, screening, mobilizing supporters, and preparing for fair competition are denied their opportunity, bitterness takes root. That bitterness does not disappear; it festers and erupts at the polls, undermining the very victories we seek.
At this critical hour, when unity is paramount for the battles ahead, we make this impassioned plea to the conscience of our leaders:
* President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the architect of renewed hope and a champion of progressive politics,
* Chief Olusegun Osoba, a revered elder statesman whose legacy embodies principled leadership,
* National leaders of the APC, and
* All genuine stakeholders in the progressive family, Please intervene decisively.
Do not allow division to deepen. Restore faith by ensuring transparent, credible primaries that honor the investments and aspirations of true loyalists. Let wisdom, reconciliation, and justice prevail over short-term expediency.
The strength of our party and indeed, the future stability of progressive politics in Ogun State lies not in imposition, but in fairness, credibility, inclusion, and genuine respect for democratic processes. 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.
Now is the time for courageous leadership. Now is the time to heal wounds, reaffirm our progressive values, and build a party that truly belongs to its members. The eyes of loyalists across Ogun State and the judgment of history rest upon your response.
In fervent hope for a united and stronger APC,
Signed
Otunba (Dr) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
National Chairman AATSG
Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu support group
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