What was meant to be a routine internal arrangement within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has now spiraled into a bitter controversy laced with allegations of intimidation, factional supremacy, and outright violence — raising fresh questions about internal democracy and discipline within Nigeria’s ruling party.
At the heart of the storm is Lagelu Local Government, where a leadership tussle has exposed deep cracks between two dominant blocs: one aligned with local APC leader Chief Sanda, and the other loyal to Honorable Olafisoye Akinmoyede — widely known as “Lafi,” the serving House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency.
A Crisis That Began With “No Primaries”
According to insiders, the crisis was triggered by a directive from the APC national leadership in Abuja stating clearly that no primaries would be conducted at the local government level. Instead, a consensus-based arrangement was to be adopted across affected councils — including Lagelu.
Simple enough on paper. In reality, it became anything but.
With two entrenched factions unwilling to shift ground, both camps proceeded to organize separate “consensus” processes — each producing its own list of executives, including chairman, secretary, and other key positions.
In effect, Lagelu APC ended up with parallel leadership structures — a political contradiction that many say was bound to explode.
Abuja Steps In — But Not Everyone Agrees
Faced with the growing confusion, the national leadership of the APC moved to resolve the impasse through harmonization — a familiar political tool aimed at distributing positions between rival factions to maintain balance.
Honorable Gafar Oyebade, a prominent stakeholder aligned with the Chief Sanda faction, maintains that this process was completed and documented.
According to him, his faction secured key roles including Secretary and Vice Chairman, while positions were also allocated to the opposing camp.
Oyebade insists he personally verified the harmonized list at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja during the congress.
But here’s where the story takes a sharp turn.
“No One Should Rival Me” — The Alleged Power Struggle
Despite the harmonization, Oyebade alleges that the Lafi faction rejected the arrangement outright.
Their argument? Influence.
Sources within the local structure claim that the faction, believed to enjoy strong backing from Abuja, refused to recognize any parallel authority — insisting that control of the party structure in Lagelu rests solely with Honorable Akinmoyede.
In Oyebade’s account, the lawmaker allegedly dismissed the authority of Chief Sanda and made it clear that no one should “dare contest” his dominance, citing his financial contributions to the party over the past three years.
It’s a claim that underscores a recurring theme in Nigerian politics: the blurred line between party loyalty, financial muscle, and political control.
A Meeting That Shouldn’t Have Happened?
As tensions escalated, the Oyo State APC leadership reportedly scheduled a peace meeting for April 21, 2026, intended to bring all factions to the table.
But in what Oyebade describes as a suspicious move, he was allegedly singled out and summoned a day earlier — on April 20 — without the presence of his factional leaders.
That decision, he says, set the stage for what followed.
“I Was Lured” — Allegation of Assault Inside Party Secretariat
In a chilling account, Oyebade claims that upon arriving at the meeting, discussions quickly turned confrontational when he refused to take decisions regarding the harmonized list without consulting his leaders.
“I told them clearly — I cannot speak on behalf of my faction alone. My leaders were not invited,” he reportedly stated.
What began as an argument, he alleges, escalated into physical violence.
According to Oyebade, he was assaulted during the meeting while top party officials, including Oyo State APC Chairman Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo, were present.
He further alleges that individuals linked to the opposing faction restrained him, while threats were issued against his life.
“I was silenced with beating,” he told the press. “If I had protested further, I don’t know what they would have done to me or where I would be by now.”
In a moment that captures both shock and disbelief, Oyebade recalled confronting the chairman:
“So you lured me here to be beaten black and blue?”
He claims the response he received was dismissive — describing the incident merely as “two people fighting.”
Allegations of Compromise Within Party Structure
Beyond the physical altercation, Oyebade is raising a more far-reaching concern: that the state party structure itself may have been compromised.
He alleges an ongoing conspiracy to alter the already verified harmonized list — a move that, if true, would undermine the authority of the national leadership and further deepen distrust within the party.
For observers, this points to a larger institutional issue: when internal agreements can be rewritten at will, what happens to credibility?
Explosive Claims and Rising Tensions
In perhaps the most controversial part of his statement, Oyebade referenced past allegations linking Honorable Akinmoyede to acts of political thuggery and high-profile violence in the constituency — claims that remain sensitive and unproven in the public domain.
By bringing them up now, he says, he is acting out of fear for his safety.
“I’m taking this step to save myself from being killed or attacked again,” he stated.
Such accusations, whether substantiated or not, significantly raise the stakes — transforming a local party dispute into a matter of public concern and security.
A Direct Appeal to the Presidency
In a move that signals the seriousness of his claims, Oyebade has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene.
His appeal reflects a growing perception among grassroots party members that internal mechanisms may no longer be sufficient to resolve disputes — especially when power dynamics tilt heavily in favor of certain individuals.
What This Means for APC in Oyo
The unfolding situation in Lagelu is more than just a local disagreement. It is a test case for how the APC manages internal conflict, enforces discipline, and upholds its own processes.
For a party that prides itself on structure and national reach, the optics are troubling:
Parallel executives emerging from the same process
Harmonization agreements being contested after ratification
Allegations of violence occurring within party premises
Claims of intimidation tied to political influence
All of these point to a system under strain.
The Bigger Picture
Political analysts note that such crises are not new in Nigeria’s party system, where internal democracy often clashes with power blocs and financial influence.
But what makes the Lagelu case particularly striking is the brazenness of the allegations — from claims of Abuja-backed dominance to physical assault in the presence of party leadership.
It raises a blunt question: when internal disagreements escalate to this level, who really controls the party — the structure, or the strongest faction?
The Road Ahead
As of now, there has been no official detailed response from the accused parties regarding the allegations.
What remains clear is that the situation demands urgent clarification and, perhaps more importantly, accountability.
Because beyond the headlines and the politics, there is a deeper issue at stake — the integrity of party processes and the safety of its members.
And until those questions are answered, the crisis in Lagelu APC will continue to echo far beyond the walls of a local government secretariat.
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