The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, has cautioned the party against imposing candidates, urging instead that open contests be allowed so that widely accepted candidates can emerge for State and National Assembly elections.
He also revealed that the Alubarika Movement would mobilise support and work towards the emergence of the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 election in the state.
Speaking at a lecture organised by the Alubarika Movement in Osogbo on Tuesday, Basiru stressed that the party must ensure a level playing field that allows all members to test their popularity before the elections.
He noted that the APC has grown into a large political platform and that stakeholders at every level should focus on winning elections by ensuring that the most popular candidates emerge during primaries for State and National Assembly seats.
“Yes, it’s time to reason. Our party is now large, so my advice, and which of course I’m also advising the party as National Secretary, is that we should create a level playing ground so that there can be free fair contest at the primary.
“If anybody wins we will know it is based on his popularity and if anyone lose, we also know that they win and lose according to the acceptability by members of the party”, said Basiru.
While commenting on the role of various groups supporting the APC governorship candidate in Osun State ahead of the August election, Basiru said the Alubarika Movement is part of the APC and its members must work actively for the party’s success.
“The Alubarika Movement will work for the victory of our party. I said so, that the candidate of our party in Osun is Bola Oyebamiji and I’m very close to him. We are working closely together, and of course, we are working as a movement to support the party to emerge in August 15, 2026 election”, he added.