Crisis erupted within the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State on Thursday as some aggrieved party members staged a protest over alleged plans to impose candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The protesters stormed the party secretariat located at Oke-Ado in Ibadan South East Local Government Area during a leadership and stakeholders’ meeting involving party aspirants.
The demonstrators warned the party leadership against allowing financial influence to determine the selection of candidates, insisting that such actions had previously weakened the party’s chances during elections.
According to the protesters, the outcome of the 2023 general elections should serve as a lesson, urging party leaders to ensure transparent, free and credible primary elections rather than handpicking candidates.
The protest disrupted activities around the secretariat as tensions rose among party faithful gathered for the meeting.
Reacting to the incident, the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Olawale Sadare, alleged that the protest was sponsored by individuals seeking to destabilise the peace within the party.
Sadare claimed that some of the protesters turned violent and attacked members of the party’s state executive committee, staff and other persons present at the secretariat.
According to him, the attackers allegedly arrived armed with weapons and charms and vandalised property during the unrest, which reportedly lasted for about two hours.
He said several private vehicles and parts of the secretariat building were damaged, including windshields, tyres, office windows and doors.
“It was a case of sponsored attacks by some disgruntled elements but we are glad that no life was lost in the unprovoked attacks,” Sadare said.
He added that the matter had been reported to security agencies and that investigations were already underway.
