The Real Progressives (TRP), a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has cautioned against purported plan by some gladiators to upturn the July 31, ward congresses in the state.
This is contained in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Isa Oladokun and made available to newsmen on Friday, in Ibadan.
The National Daily reports that the TRP had reacted to an alleged plan by a merger camp to manipulate the ward congress list toward hijacking the party structure.
Two camps loyal to the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu and Sen. Ibikunle Amosun in the state had merged to allegedly hijack the party structure.
The TRP alleged the loyalists of the former governors were scheming to upturn the July 31 APC ward congresses which held across the 351 wards of the state.
It described the purported plan of the merger to hijack the party structure as dead on arrival, urging them to refrain from acts aimed at subverting the mandate of party faithful.
“The move is to subvert the choices of teeming party members who participated in democratic elections of their ward executives.
“The 2023 Memorandum of Understanding is catalysing them to be desperate in hijacking the party structure in Oyo State.
“To actualise the clandestine mission, one of the 2023 gubernatorial aspirants has been scheduled to meet with national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in London,” it said.
The group urged loyalists of the former governors to embrace transparent means of actualising their ambitions and not by subverting the interest of party faithful.
It also warned them against seeking foreign interventions in the state political and domestic affairs.
“We are reminding the loyalists of the former governors to embrace transparent means of getting their ambitions materialised, instead of subverting the choices of the party faithfuls through the backdoor.
“Politics is local, therefore there is no point seeking foreign interventions in our domestic affairs,” it said.
“Considering the pedigree of the two former governors, they will not be parties to fraudulent means of hijacking party structure in Oyo State,” the group said.
The TRP warned the merged camps to act in line with democratic tenets and completely refrain from subverting the mandate of the people.
“We should not forget in a hurry, the factors that led to the downfall of the party in 2019 general elections. Notably, we failed to play the game according to the rules of engagement.
“We do not want to suffer another defeat in 2023; that is why we are calling on those fanning the ember of discord to refrain from such because a stitch in time saves nine,” it said.
It insisted that the ward congress held across the 351 wards in the state was peaceful, fair and successful.
“It was feasible and audible to the deaf that APC had peaceful and non-parallel ward congresses across the 351 wards in Oyo State.
“Why should over-ambitious aspirants conspire to upturn the free, fair and transparent congresses held on July 31? it asked.