APC Has Reached Dead End in Oyo, Says Ajimobi's Ex-Associate

An erstwhile political associate and former Commissioner for Works and Transport in the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in Oyo state, Dr. Yunus Akintunde, at the weekend argued why the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would suffer defeat in the 2019 general election in the state.

Akintunde, a 'kitchen cabinet member' of Ajimobi and former chieftain of APC recalled how they won back to back for Ajimobi in 2011 and 2015 respectively, stressing that, "APC won the last governorship election with 34 per cent of the total votes. That was when Unity Forum and Disunity Forum were together in the party. Now, everybody is on his own."

The Unity Forum in the state APC was the breakaway faction of the party after internal struggles and irreconcilable differences pitted the Governor against his erstwhile teeming supporters who were dissatisfied with the emergence of party's candidates prior to last May 12 local government elections in the state and the recent parallel congresses in the party.

Akintunde now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while fielding questions from journalists has therefore boasted that ADC will emerge victorious in the 2019 gubernatorial election and form the next government of the state.

He was of the opinion that the bulk of 'core progressives in the state and grass root politicians who know the game and can play it well have left the APC for the ADC."

According to him, what was left in the APC after Unity Forum members exited the party were remnants who would not be able to save the party from defeat when 2019 elections approach, adding that “APC is gone in Oyo State.”

“Majority of APC members have joined ADC and what you have in the party called APC are remnants. I know as a matter of fact that APC is gone in Oyo State. Those in ADC are grassroots politicians. We are not talking of politicians of social media or Facebook politicians.

“I know as a matter of fact that we have seven governorship aspirants, nine House of Representatives, two Senators and almost 14 House of Assembly lawmakers.

“Be that as it may, you don’t measure the capacity of a party with mandate members. Those are the people that were elected. You assess a party by the grass root leaders who know the game very well. We are using those figures to show our strength nonetheless. As far as I know, with my little knowledge of Oyo State politics, the gatekeepers at the grass roots are in ADC.

“APC won the last governorship election with 34 per cent of the votes. That was when Unity Forum and Disunity Forum were together in the party. Now, everybody is on his own. I want to tell you that discussions and negotiations are going on. People are talking across parties. There will be realignment and more realignment. In the next seven days, the political equation will change,” he said.

Asked when the structure of ADC would be put in place in the state, he replied that the congresses were being delayed to give room for others they were talking to across parties on how to work together to get rid of APC.