The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Mr Olaide Abas, has said that the recent defection of members of opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress points to the fact that many Nigerians key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
According to Abas, Nigerians were shunning primordial sentiments and selfish interests and joining the APC, which is on course for national rebirth and holistic development of the nation.
The APC recently welcomed defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Labour Party including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State; his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa; Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, commissioners, and local government chairmen.
The Oyo APC chairman spoke on Tuesday at the end of a party stakeholders’ meeting held at the state office of the party, in Ibadan, the state capital.
In attendance at the meeting were APC State Executive Committee members and the party chairmen across the 33 local government areas in the state.
Abas said, “The recent gale of defections by members of the opposition parties is a pointer to the fact that many discerning Nigerians are ready to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President by shunning primordial sentiments and selfish interests to joining the APC which they see as the only vehicle of national rebirth and holistic development.
“To this end, Oyo APC cannot afford to be at the back seat.”
The meeting saw the state chapter of the party declaring its readiness to work for the reelection of Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The Oyo APC said its decision was informed by the “efficacy of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the promises which the Tinubu leadership holds for Nigeria and the African continent.”
Abas added, “The stakeholders needed to acknowledge the milestone reached by the current administration of President Tinubu in less than two years.
“Those of us who know the antecedents of our dear President might not be surprised that he has approached governance with such an enormous degree of courage, determination and patriotism, but we must make public our satisfaction and optimism if only to encourage him.
“It is on this note that stakeholders of the party who attended the extended executive committee meeting today decided to announce our readiness to have President Tinubu in the office as the nation’s number one man beyond 2027.”
According to Abas, Tinubu deserved another four-year term, having “shown good understanding of the challenges facing the country in addition to the possession of the blueprint to tackle them.”
He said Nigerians needed to give Tinubu enough time to complete the “enormous task of repositioning the country.”
Others who spoke in tandem with the submission of the state chairman included: Alh. Tajudeen Olanite (State Secretary), Olawale Sadare (Publicity Secretary), Alhaja Tinuade Adigun (State Woman Leader) and Prince John Aremu (State Youth Leader).
They all expressed their readiness to work for the success of the Tinubu administration while they also praised the party’s national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and his team for “building a stronger and more formidable APC across the country.”
In another development; a group of eminent personalities within Oyo APC named “The Peace Advocates,” have restated their commitment to the restoration of harmony and team spirit in the party in the build-up to the 2027 general election.
The group led by the trio of Dr. Akin Onigbinde (SAN), Mr Wale Ohu and Mr Niran Olayoju, gave this commitment during a courtesy visit to the state secretariat of the party on Tuesday.
The group said that the visit was to intimate the state chairman about its plan to embark on a tour of all the geopolitical zones in the state to preach genuine peace and reconciliation among party faithful.
Others members of the group who were present during the visit included; Mr Gbade Lana, Mr Adepeju Esan, Mr Adewale Adeoye, Mr Rasaq Raji, Amusat Ogunsola and Mr Adebayo Aruna.