The Ogun State Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement, Abayomi Sanyaolu, has faulted the recent promise by Governor Dapo Abiodun to compensate aspirants under the All Progressives Congress who lost out to the party’s consensus arrangement with political appointments.
The chairman said such moves are targeted at weakening opposition parties and undermining internal democracy.
Sanyaolu, in a statement on Sunday, said that such a subtle arrangement aimed at pressurising aspirants to abandon their genuine political aspirations for short-term political appointments should be rejected, while urging such aspirants to consider joining the APM to realise their ambition.
He explained that the recent mass defection into the opposition party in Oyo State and the decision of the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to pick the nomination form of the party for the Bauchi South senatorial race have further underscored the viability of the APM as an opposition party that offers a credible, competitive platform for serious and progressive aspirants nationwide.
The party chairman said that rather than sacrifice their genuine political aspirations for temporary political appointments and betray the confidence their supporters had reposed in them, such aspirants should come through the widely opened door of the party, adding that the leadership of the party is ready to provide a level playing field for all aspirants.
Sanyaolu said that the APC in the state had already come to its tether’s end and stood little or no chance of pulling any surprise in 2027, as people were already clamouring for change that would be effected by the APM during the forthcoming election.
The statement partly reads, “The Ogun State Chapter of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) wishes to alert governorship and legislative aspirants in Ogun State to deliberate efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of Dapo Abiodun to pressure them into abandoning their ambitions in exchange for short-term political appointments.
“The Ogun State APM, under the leadership of Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu, is urging aspirants to reject these offers because this is just a ‘12-month appointment’ crafted to distract, weaken, and derail genuine political aspirations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“As you all can see, the recent developments underscore the APM’s growing national strength. Let me point to the mass defection of politicians to the APM in Oyo State and the purchase of the party’s senatorial nomination form by a sitting governor in Bauchi State as clear proof that the APM now offers a credible, competitive platform for serious and progressive aspirants nationwide.”
It added, “It should be noted that the APC has reached its peak in Ogun State and exhausted its goodwill among the people; the public sentiment clearly signals a loss of power for the ruling party in the next election.
“We must condemn the tactic of dangling temporary appointments before aspirants, which aims to weaken opposition parties and undermine internal democracy.
“On this note, I want to call on politicians with clear vision and commitment to public service to choose platforms that guarantee fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity rather than succumb to political distractions.
“It is pertinent to reiterate that the APM stands as the only viable platform capable of advancing the aspirations of credible and forward-looking politicians in Ogun State.
“At APM, we assure aspirants of transparent processes and strong institutional support as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
“Let me conclude by calling on party members, stakeholders, and supporters to intensify mobilisation across the state. The APM is ready to harness growing public demand for change and mount a formidable challenge in the next election.”
Recall that Governor Abiodun had recently called on 2027 aspirants of the APC to respect local government zoning arrangements and embrace consensus-building as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
The governor also promised a refund of money spent on nomination forms, as well as appointments for aspirants who failed to secure the party’s ticket or lost out to the consensus arrangement.
Abiodun made the appeal during a strategic meeting held in Abeokuta with House of Representatives and House of Assembly aspirants, alongside party leaders from the state’s 20 local government areas.
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