The All Progressives Congress (APC)’s effort to resolve its internal disagreements in Oyo State has faced a fresh test after some prominent aggrieved members stayed away from a reconciliation meeting convened by the party’s national chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Among those absent were the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other aggrieved aspirants.

At a Glance

Naija News reports that governorship aspirants Akeem Agbaje and Hakeem Alao, as well as former Oyo State Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, also did not attend the meeting.

The meeting was held with members of the Oyo State APC reconciliation committee as the party continues efforts to settle internal grievances ahead of the 2027 elections.

The absence of several prominent figures comes as the party seeks to rebuild unity and position itself for a possible return to power in Oyo State.

What Happened

Yilwatda met with members of the Oyo APC reconciliation committee in Ibadan as part of efforts to address disagreements within the party.

The reconciliation process is coming after grievances emerged from the party’s governorship primary, with some aspirants unhappy with the outcome.

However, Folarin, Adelabu and other aggrieved aspirants stayed away from the meeting.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Yilwatda said the reconciliation process remained ongoing and that the party would continue engaging members whose concerns had not yet been resolved.

He described the disagreements as an internal family matter that could be addressed through dialogue.

Key Players

The reconciliation effort involves the APC’s national leadership, the Oyo State reconciliation committee and members of the party who became aggrieved following the governorship primary.

Yilwatda is leading the national party’s engagement, while former senator Femi Lanlehin chairs the Oyo APC reconciliation committee.

Among the prominent members identified as absent from the meeting were Folarin and Adelabu, alongside Agbaje, Alao and Olaniyan.

Their absence is notable because the party is attempting to resolve its internal disagreements before the 2027 elections.

What The APC Leadership Said

Yilwatda sought to play down the divisions within the party, describing APC as a family whose members could experience disagreements.

He said:

“The APC is a family. Whatever is happening in the party is a family issue.”

The national chairman maintained that the party remained stable despite the disagreements.

He added that it was normal for members of the same family to experience difficulties, but expressed confidence that the issues were being addressed.

Yilwatda also said the party leadership would continue engaging aggrieved members, addressing their complaints and working towards rebuilding confidence within the party.

Stakeholder Positions

The position presented by the national leadership was that reconciliation was still progressing despite the absence of some aggrieved members.

Lanlehin, who chairs the Oyo APC reconciliation committee, said the committee had already met with the aggrieved aspirants and submitted its findings to Yilwatda.

According to him, the party was making progress in its attempt to settle the grievances before the 2027 elections.

The two positions point to an ongoing reconciliation effort, while the absence of some prominent members shows that the process has not yet brought all the affected figures into the same room.

Background To The Crisis

The disagreements being addressed by the reconciliation committee followed the APC’s governorship primary in Oyo State.

Lanlehin explained that some aspirants were unhappy with the outcome of the primary and had expressed their disappointment to the committee.

He said the committee had listened to the grievances and subsequently presented its findings to the national chairman for action.

The reconciliation effort is therefore aimed at addressing the disputes arising from the primary before they become a larger challenge for the party ahead of the next election.

Where The Matter Stands

The APC leadership says reconciliation remains an ongoing process.

Yilwatda said the party would continue to engage members and address their concerns, while Lanlehin said the committee had already made progress after meeting with the aggrieved aspirants.

However, the absence of Folarin, Adelabu and other prominent figures from the latest meeting indicates that the reconciliation process still has issues to resolve.

The party is seeking to rebuild internal unity while preparing for the 2027 elections.

Editorial Analysis

The immediate challenge for the APC in Oyo State is not simply organising a reconciliation meeting, but ensuring that the aggrieved members are sufficiently engaged to participate in the party’s efforts to rebuild unity.

The national leadership’s description of the dispute as a family matter suggests an attempt to reduce the tensions and keep the disagreements within the party’s internal structures.

At the same time, the absence of several prominent figures means the party’s reconciliation efforts will likely depend on continued engagement beyond a single meeting.

The committee’s claim that it has already met with the aggrieved aspirants indicates that discussions are taking place, but the latest absence shows that the process remains unfinished.

Risk Assessment

The unresolved grievances could become a political challenge for the APC if they persist into the 2027 election cycle.

Internal disagreements can make it more difficult for a party to present a united front, particularly when prominent aspirants and influential members feel dissatisfied with the outcome of a primary.

The APC itself appears conscious of this risk. Lanlehin said the party could not afford to lose the 2027 election to opposition parties in Oyo State and expressed confidence that it would win elective positions across the state.

Whether that confidence is translated into electoral strength will depend, in part, on how effectively the party resolves the disagreements among its members.

Political Significance

The reconciliation effort is significant because the APC is seeking to regain control of Oyo State in 2027, making internal unity an important part of its strategy.

The party’s decision to deploy its national chairman and a dedicated reconciliation committee demonstrates the importance attached to resolving the grievances arising from the governorship primary.

For the APC, the issue extends beyond the absent members at one meeting. The larger challenge is whether the party can bring its competing interests together sufficiently to enter the 2027 election as a cohesive political organisation.

Lanlehin’s declaration that the party intends to win all elective positions in the state further underscores the electoral stakes attached to the reconciliation process.

Final Editorial Wrap-Up

The APC’s reconciliation effort in Oyo State remains ongoing, with the party leadership insisting that its internal disagreements can be resolved through dialogue.

However, the absence of Folarin, Adelabu and other aggrieved figures from the latest meeting highlights the work that remains to be done.

The reconciliation committee says it has made progress and submitted its findings to the national chairman, while the national leadership has pledged to continue engaging dissatisfied members.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the APC’s ability to resolve the grievances arising from its primary and rebuild confidence among its members could prove important to its ambition of regaining political ground in Oyo State.