APC IBADAN NORTH FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY BYE-ELECTION* *Who is afraid of Primary Election?

The dust of the intense succesion's political turbulence  may be alarming but it cannot envelope the pensive and sober mood of the Constituents and the *All Progressive Congress (APC)* in Ibadan North Federal Constituency who lost their *'Golden boy',Prince Adewale Olaide Musiliu Akinremi -Jagaban*,to the cold hands of death,at his prime on the 10th of July,2024. 

The delay by the *Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)* in performing their primary responsibility since eight (8) months ago has heightened the tension in political circles and left the wound sustained by the death of the performing lawmaker unhealed.

The *All Progressives Congress (APC)* in *Ibadan North Federal Constituency*,having been allowed to become a theatre of drama,but now calm,due to the selfless effort of principled leaders in *Oyo state and Ibadan North APC* chapters, who rose to check the excesses of few selfish leaders in their bid to stage a political coup,which has now boomeranged.

The 'coup' orchestrated by a minority caucus in one of the advisory bodies of the party,the *IBADAN NORTH APEX LEADERS GROUP*,after turning the good intention of the APEX group to a 'ojà bàsá' like show of shame.The Aspirants' Interactive committee set up by the APEX group was hijacked by the notorious self proclaimed “powerful APEX leaders”,and in their usual 'highest bidder 'ròfòrófò' naked dance',turned the adhoc committee to an unconstitutional selective process where,in their own very language,referred to aspirants as 'clients'.

The illegal process have since been rubbished and cancelled by the patriotic leaders in the APEX group who has the majority voice and also by the other recognised advisory body *Ibadan North Concerned Elders Forum* who described the process as an 'illegal and selfish attempt,  dead on arrival'.

To add salt to the infamous coup plotters 'injury'; the highest organ of the party in *Ibadan North local government* The *Executive Committee (EXCO)* has also assured the party faithfuls that no candidate has been picked as the unconstitutional committee lacks the locus standi to perform the duty of the Party. 

The matter was finally put to rest by the *Oyo State All Progressive Congress (APC) Executive Committee (EXCO)* who described the process as null and void and also assured the aspirants and all members of the party that democratic process will be followed to the letter and that the constitution of the party will be thoroughly adherred to,and will not be traded for the interest of few individuals.  

The party’s state leadership restated to the aspirants and the IBNLG party leaders to be ready for primary election while awaiting directives from the National Secretariat of the party.

The calibre of aspirants vying to fly the flag of the party in the rerun election also played a prominent role in restoring order to the party in the local government,as they have unanimously resolved that a primary election and not consensus selection,will be used for a candidate to emerge,to save the party from disintegrating into crisis,in the aftermath.

As it is in politics,the beneficiary aspirant of the failed attempt,who has been thrown under the bus by the corrupt minority “powerful APEX leaders” in their bid to make the unpopular aspirant the candidate,has not woken up from the anticlimax dream of the already spectacularly rubbished coup. The unpopular 'client' aspirant who still naively and foolishly announces himself as the candidate of the party,caught in the web of his own undemocratic machination,have refused to come to terms with his misadventure and failure,and is still going round the wards to peddle the falsehood that he has been picked,among a 3-person shortlist,by the “powers that be”,and that the right time to announce his “candidacy” is imminent.

Let this brash aspirant and his infamous co-travellers on this undemocratic journey be adviced,to take the lawful way to actualise their dreams instead of taking other aspirants,leaders, and party members for granted.

It must be in the realm of hallucinations,to think only three (3) of them,from the aspirants’ pool will be put up for a maligned,flawed and tele guided primary process,wherein he,particularly, will emerge as the candidate.It’s pertinent to take cognizance of the relevant APC constitution,and the Electoral Act,and the attendant implications for what they have designed.

It’s a trite that if you don’t buy the ticket,you can’t win the lottery.This translates to the fact that everyone who purchases a nomination form gets to take part in the primary contest.

For the umpteenth time, the majority of aspirants are resolute,that no arrangement,short of a credible primary election process,that produces a clear winner, will be acceptable.

*Yoruba wipe oju awo,l’awo fi n gba ọbẹ,ati wipe ko si abuja lọrun ọpẹ.*

*Alákísà t’oun jó lóru,bópé ilè ámó lóla.*

*Who is afraid of a primary election? 

The rhetorics is explicit and not expedient,as an aspirant who is afraid of a primary election cannot win a general election,talkmore of a rerun election,which is not a job for a mummy's boy.*

E- signed by: 

Secretary to the Bye-Election Aspirant Forum IBNFC 

Dr. (Mrs) Olaitan Victor 

Coordinator to the Bye- Election  Aspirant Forum IBNFC 

Dr Lanre Ayinla