By Oladimeji Ibrahim

Barely 48 hours after Hon. Saheed Fijabi publicly commented on the current political situation in Oyo State where he acknowledged the developmental strides of Governor Seyi Makinde and expressed willingness to support the Omituntun 3.0 continuity agenda; an unfortunate incident unfolded at the Oyo APC Youth Summit.

At the summit, Hon. Fijabi was openly embarrassed and chased out by some APC youths, who accused him of working with the ruling party despite being a bonafide member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This development is deeply troubling, especially considering that Hon. Fijabi was officially invited by the chairman of the planning committee to participate as a panelist. Furthermore, his financial contributions to the success of the summit were duly sought and made prior to the event.

The manner in which he was treated; public humiliation and forceful ejection raises serious concerns about respect for party hierarchy, internal democracy, and adherence to the party’s constitution. Allegations of anti-party activities are weighty matters that require proper investigation and due process. As of the time of this writing, the party leadership in Oyo State has not constituted any disciplinary committee to probe the allegations levelled against him.

Yet, in what appears to be a gross overreach of authority, certain APC youths assumed the role of party leadership and unilaterally took disciplinary action against a two-term member of the National Assembly. Ironically, this same Hon. Fijabi was recently appointed Chairman of the Oyo State Committee to oversee activities marking Oyo State at 50 (an appointment that itself reflects trust in his leadership capacity and political relevance.)

This incident portrays a disturbing picture of intolerance and political recklessness, where mob actions replace institutional processes. It sends a dangerous signal that party members can be harassed or expelled without recourse to established rules, leadership structures, or constitutional provisions.

With this development, a fundamental question must be asked: Is the APC in Oyo State operating under a leaderless structure, or has internal discipline completely broken down? If left unchecked, such actions will continue to weaken party cohesion, alienate experienced leaders, and erode public confidence in the APC as a credible opposition party in the state.

The leadership of the APC in Oyo State must urgently rise to the occasion by reasserting authority, restoring order, and ensuring that party affairs are governed by rules, respect, and due process; not intimidation, disorder, and political anarchy.