Except for someone who is sold on deceiving himself, Oyo APC is presently an orphan.
The process of making the state chapter of the APC an orphan commenced the day Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as presidential candidate entered into an agreement with the Group of five rebellious PDP Governors known as the G-5.
That singular act resulted in the seemingly crushing defeat the APC suffered in Oyo state in the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.
The process of making the state chapter of the APC an orphan have been completed by the president through his consistent snubbing of the party structures in the scheme of things in his Government.
It is on record and sadly so, that while the president have continued to give patronage to states like Lagos and Osun states where he lost the presidential election, he has continued to decimate Oyo APC by his constant snubbing, even though, he got the highest margin of victory from the state from the South West and one of the widest margin of victory throughout the Federation!
People have been making up excuses for the president.
Some are of the opinion that the president could not or should not be blamed for the circumstances surrounding his consistent snubs of Oyo APC.
They argue that the rumpus within the party as a result of the disagreements that followed the Congresses of the party in the state left the president no choice.
I do not agree with such school of thoughts. It is a position that gives convenience to the president.
We are Yorubas and thankfully so.
It is true that if there is no crack in the wall, the lizard would not find a place to hide.
However, when Elders are on ground, the head of the new born is shaped appropriately.
In the internal scuffle that ensued after the Congresses and primaries in Oyo state, the president obviously took a side which aligns with his convenience to enter an agreement with an opposition gubernatorial candidate in the person of Seyi Makinde against the candidates of his own party.
There is no justifications for that before man and God, most especially, considering how he, the president got his own ticket to contest as president.
If that could perhaps be understood, what I found extremely confusing is why the president will continue to trample on what he already grounded.
Even, many of those who urged him to take the path that have put Oyo APC in the precarious situation It presently occupies are also now in shock and bewilderment.
It is getting clearer by the day that the president and perhaps, at the promptings of some unseen forces have an issue with Oyo state.
Or, how would you explain a situation, where, by the president’s actions, a vibrant platform that gave you a beautiful and convenient margin of victory is been neglected in favour of states where the president lost woefully, Lagos and Osun States on my mind?
I found it uncomfortable that Elders like Chief Bisi Akande who have been living in the Oyo state capital for a long time and is conversant with Oyo politics are finding the present situation funny.
What baffles me more is the fact that internally, the APC in Oyo state have chosen to resign to fate.
Those Who should stand up to defend the rights of the party, in my view are not doing so and for several reasons depending on where they belong.
For some, it serves the party right.
For others, they are comfortable with the status quo because at present, they have something to hold on to in terms of appointments whether justified or not and for yet others, so far as the present Excos of the party in the state are in place, whatever the president does, they don’t care.
The attitudes of those who should help to reposition the party have continued to baffle me.
Everyday, Groups are springing up in different names.
It is unfortunate that the proponents of this Groups have chosen to promote parochial interests over and above the larger interest of the survival of the party which ought to be paramount for now.
You belong to Paul while I belong to Apollo is the order of the day.
How does that help anyone?
In the long run, what will be the fate of this Groups?
To become factions and polarize the more an already polarized party?
Or to go join another political party if they could not have their way within the party?
It is clear to me that those who have been propagating this Groups have only one thing in mind and that is to seek to seize the soul of the party towards future election?
Why then is everyone complaining about ” jaa gba”?
It is in the interest of the party and everyone for the Leaders and stakeholders to sheathe their swords, bury their ambitions for now and seek true reconciliation.
For whatever ambition anyone seeks to pursue, the party must survive first.
Whatever is destined to be will surely be and vice versa.
If we continue the way we are going, Omo iya mefa le ku si oko Egbaa kan.
Seyi Makinde is there lurking. He is ever waiting to profit from whatever calamities we invite on ourselves.
I don’t know why we have refused to see that regardless of what Makinde is doing now, president Tinubu looks like one who could still do business with him in 2027 if the terrain warrants.
If we allow for such because we refused to bury hatchets and reposition ourselves, who shall we blame then?
I have repeatedly said it and I will repeat here for emphasis.
If no one will take the gauntlets, our Senators and House of Representatives, led by the state chairman have a duty in their hands to lead a charge to defend this party at this point.
Whether they like it or not, posterity have put them in positions of authority to so do.
2027 is like tomorrow.
The one who seeks to benefit from our mistakes is always awake.
It is time for us to wake up from lethargy.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
