Protest Hits Oyo APC Over Zoning Plan

Protest Hits Oyo APC Over Zoning Plan
Members of a socio-cultural group from Okeogun on Monday protested at the All Progressives Congress headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, over an alleged plan to zone the party’s state chairmanship position to Okeogun again.

The demonstrators said they gathered to oppose the move because they believe it could affect the zone’s chance of producing the next governor in 2027.

The protest was peaceful and took place at the party secretariat in the state capital.

The group, known as Egbe Ajosepo fun Itesiwaju Gbogbo Wa, carried placards with messages demanding that Okeogun be allowed to produce the governorship candidate in the next election cycle.

They argued that giving the chairmanship position to the zone again would deny it the opportunity to pursue the top seat in the state. According to them, both the party chairman and the governorship candidate cannot come from the same zone at the same time.

The protest followed a statement issued by the Oyo APC through its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, announcing the setting up of an ad-hoc committee to handle zoning for a new state executive committee.

The committee, led by Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, was given the task of sharing party offices among the 33 local government chapters in the state.

Speaking during the protest, the group’s National Chairman, Dauda Olaifa, said they received information that an indigene of Okeogun had been considered for the state chairmanship position.

He claimed the plan was meant to push aside the demand for the governorship slot to be given to the zone in 2027.

Olaifa said that since 1999, the chairmanship position of major political parties in the state has often gone to Okeogun, both in the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.

He added that there was a period when both leading parties had their chairmen from the same town in Okeogun. He argued that continuing this pattern would not serve the interest of the zone.

He also said Okeogun, which has 10 local government areas and is the second largest zone in the state after Ibadan, has supported the emergence of governors from other areas over the years.

According to him, the zone now wants the governorship seat and is ready to support any political party that zones the position to Okeogun, regardless of religion or background.

The group stated that several qualified aspirants from Okeogun have shown interest in contesting for governor in 2027.

They said these aspirants have credible records and have gone through internal consultations within the zone.

Olaifa called on the APC leadership to ignore individuals he described as self-appointed negotiators from Okeogun, alleging that such persons do not represent the collective interest of the people.

He added that the group’s position is clear: it does not want the deputy governorship or the party chairmanship position, but rather the governorship ticket in the next election.

Also speaking, the National Secretary of the group, Pastor Favour Adewoyin, said the idea of rotating power among zones is common in many states across the country.

He mentioned several states in the South-West and other regions where leadership positions have moved from one area to another over time. He questioned why Oyo State should be different.

The protest ended peacefully, with the group insisting that their demand is aimed at fairness and equal opportunity for Okeogun in the state’s political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.