Two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Akeem Adetoyese and Mogaji Abiola Oyeyemi, have faulted the nomination of Mr. Joseph Tegbe as a ministerial representative from the state, describing the move as unfair to loyal members of the party who worked for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The party chieftains, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, said the appointment has triggered concerns among grassroots members and long-standing APC loyalists in Oyo State over what they termed an “unjust reward system” within the party.

According to them, several committed APC members dedicated time, resources, and political structures toward securing victory for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 general elections but have continued to be sidelined in political appointments.

They argued that the nomination of Tegbe sends the wrong signal to party faithful who remained committed to the APC before, during, and after the elections.

“The reward system of our great party in Oyo State is becoming increasingly discouraging. We have party members who laboured day and night, mobilised resources, and put their reputations on the line to secure victory for President Bola Tinubu, yet they are being sidelined,” the statement read.

Adetoyese and Oyeyemi alleged that Tegbe neither demonstrated loyalty to the APC nor contributed significantly to the party’s electoral success in Oyo State during the last general election.
The duo further claimed that Tegbe had previously contested outside the APC and allegedly worked against the presidential ambition of Tinubu in 2023.

“It is on record that Tegbe did not only contest outside the APC, but also worked against the emergence of President Tinubu. This makes his appointment not only questionable but also unfair to those who stood firm with the party through thick and thin,” they stated.

The APC leaders also alleged that Tegbe had already benefited from previous appointments despite what they described as his lack of active participation in party affairs.

“It is also on open record that Tegbe, who worked tirelessly against the party in 2023, had gotten two juicy appointments before this ministerial nomination in the same party he canvassed against,” they added.

They further claimed that Tegbe was yet to formally register as a member of the APC and had not participated in recent activities of the party in the state, including the recently concluded Renewed Hope Rally.

The party stalwarts warned that continued neglect of loyal members could create frustration within the APC’s grassroots structure and weaken the party ahead of future elections.

“This is not just about one appointment; it is about the future of our party and the message we are sending to our members. If loyalty is no longer valued, then we risk weakening the very structure that brought us success,” the statement added.

They therefore called on President Tinubu to reconsider the nomination and urged members of the National Assembly from Oyo State under the APC platform not to approve the appointment.