Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Kwara-based socio-political group, Orisun Igbomina, has called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to urgently reconcile aggrieved stakeholders within the All Progressives Congress and deepen political inclusion ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that the recent Osun State governorship election offers a stark lesson in the power of the electorate and the dangers of alienating grassroots supporters. The group, in a statement signed by its National President, Chief Gbenga Awoyale, on August 17, 2026, described the Osun election as a "significant victory for democracy" and a reminder that political influence and government structures cannot permanently substitute for the acceptance of the people.
The group cautioned political actors in Kwara to reflect on the development, recalling the 2019 "O To Ge" movement, which it said remained a powerful reminder of the ability of citizens to alter political arrangements through the ballot. It urged that the movement should not be reduced to the preservation of any particular administration but should be remembered for the values of inclusion, fairness, consultation and internal democracy. Orisun Igbomina specifically appealed to AbdulRazaq to engage aggrieved members of the APC and address concerns surrounding the party's internal affairs. "We therefore urge the governor to make himself more accessible to his political family, listen to aggrieved stakeholders and empower those entrusted with responsibilities to deliver meaningfully at the grassroots," the group stated.
The group said the emergence of the G15 within the Kwara APC should not be dismissed merely as an agitation by politicians who failed to secure political positions, stressing that the scale and composition of the current discontent warranted serious engagement by the party leadership. "While individual interests may exist, the scale and composition of the current discontent require serious engagement. Many of those involved participated in the 'O To Ge' struggle because they believed in its ideals of inclusion, fairness, consultation, internal democracy and an end to political monopolisation. Their concerns deserve dialogue, not dismissal," the statement added. The group further urged the governor to strengthen relationships with political appointees, party leaders, elected representatives and grassroots stakeholders, saying effective governance required empowering those entrusted with responsibilities.
Warning against intimidation, exclusion, imposition and factionalism as the 2027 elections approach, Orisun Igbomina declared that reconciliation should not be viewed as a sign of weakness but as an indication of political maturity and an investment in the future of the ruling party. "Political power, government machinery and influence may create an appearance of overwhelming strength, but citizens ultimately decide elections. There is no permanent political or 'federal might' capable of overriding a determined electorate," it emphasised. The group maintained that the Osun experience demonstrated that the ultimate power in a democracy belongs to the people. It called on the governor to use the remaining period of his administration to deepen inclusion, improve stakeholder engagement, empower members of his political family, restore confidence in the party's internal processes and pursue genuine reconciliation.
The latest call comes amid growing internal tensions within the Kwara APC, where the party has been grappling with internal divisions following primary elections. The Kwara APC had earlier set up a five-member reconciliation committee on July 3, 2026, chaired by retired Colonel AbdulWahab Ademola Lawal, to address grievances arising from the party's primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, the elders' caucus of the APC in Kwara State shunned an invitation by the committee, underscoring the depth of the crisis. The committee has since submitted its report to the state working committee of the party. The group has now added its voice to calls for genuine and comprehensive reconciliation, warning that failure to heal the internal wounds could have consequences at the polls.
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