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A University Don and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Yemi Adediwura, has criticised the continued marginalisation of Ile-Ife, Osun State, by the party both at the state and federal levels, despite the town’s longstanding loyalty and support.
Professor Adediwura, a Professor of Education at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, expressed his concerns in a statement issued on Sunday, where he also condemned the party’s silence over the abduction of the APC National Director of Administration, Dr Rauf Adeniji, who has remained in captivity for over two months.
According to the APC stalwart, Ile-Ife has suffered neglect throughout the party’s 12-year rule in Osun State and during its administration at the federal level, with little to show in terms of infrastructure or political recognition for its indigenes.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and at the national level must take a moment to reflect on the political dynamics in Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race. The recent governorship and general elections sent a clear message: the anticipated block vote from Ile-Ife did not materialize,” he stated.
“The fundamental reason for this was the palpable neglect of the town for 12 years of APC’s governance in Osun State and eight years at the federal level. For over a decade, the people of Ile-Ife remained loyal to APC, standing by the party through thick and thin. Yet, the reward for this loyalty has been an unfortunate tale of marginalization and neglect.”
He decried the absence of meaningful infrastructure projects, abandoned road works, and the exclusion of qualified indigenes from political appointments. He added that even during the last presidential election, Ile-Ife voters showed unwavering commitment to the APC, but have since been left disillusioned by the party’s failure to reciprocate.
“The roads that should have been completed remain abandoned, infrastructure development has been slow, and political appointments have bypassed qualified and deserving Ife indigenes. Despite this, when the last presidential election came, the indigenes of Ife Kingdom once again showed their unwavering commitment to the APC cause. Our people went all out to ensure the party’s victory.”
“But what has been the reward for their sacrifice? In the current APC-led administration, Ile-Ife has been left out in the cold. No Ife indigene has been given a substantive position of influence in the federal government, leaving many supporters disillusioned and questioning their allegiance to a party that has not reciprocated their dedication.”
Professor Adediwura also expressed dismay over what he described as the party’s lack of concern for Dr Adeniji, one of its most prominent figures from Ile-Ife, who remains in the custody of kidnappers without any visible effort from the party to facilitate his release.
“To compound the disappointment, the only notable Ife son at the national level of the party, Dr. Rauf Adeniji, APC’s Director of Administration, has been languishing in the den of kidnappers for over two months. Yet, the party has been largely silent, offering little in the way of concerted effort or urgency to secure his release. This silence is deafening and speaks volumes about the neglect Ife Kingdom has suffered under APC’s watch.”
He questioned how the APC intends to convince the people of Ile-Ife to support the party again in the forthcoming 2026 governorship election, especially as the current PDP-led state administration under Governor Ademola Adeleke has already appointed four commissioners from the town and initiated key development projects.
“With another Osun governorship election fast approaching, APC must ask itself some critical questions. How does the party plan to campaign in Ile-Ife? What message will be taken to the people who have felt ignored for so long? How do we convince Ife indigenes to vote against a governor who has appointed four commissioners and several board chairmen from Ife Kingdom? How do we ask them to turn their backs on a government that is actively completing the federal road project abandoned by APC and rehabilitating intra-town roads neglected for years? The APC must acknowledge the realities on the ground and make swift amends.”
He urged the party to re-engage with the people, address their grievances, and ensure meaningful inclusion through developmental projects and political appointments.
“The party must re-engage with the people of Ife Kingdom, address their grievances, and ensure that their voices are not just heard but acted upon. Developmental projects, strategic appointments, and tangible political inclusion must be prioritised to rebuild trust and confidence. APC remains a party of progress, but progress must be felt by all,” he stressed.
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