Morohunkola Thomas, who was executive assistant on political matters under the administration of former governor Abiola Ajimobi, has revealed why his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, is not yet a progressive party.
This is just as the three term former commissioner in Oyo State, who spoke when he featured on Bottomline, a weekly programme on Impact Business Radio, IBR, Ibadan last Saturday, imposition of candidates, especially the governorship ticket, for the 2019 elections affected the chances of the APC.
OYOINSIGHT.COM recalled that Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had defeated Adebayo Adelabu of the APC in the March 9, 2019 governorship election.
Thomas, who is a doctor of philosophy, said there are progressives within the two major parties- APC, explaining that no Nigerian party is truly progressive in composition and ideology.
According to him, “APC is an unusual party, an amalgam of many political parties. It will take time before it becomes a progressive. There are progressives in the two major parties. They are tilted to the right.
“A progressive party will not encourage invasion of court. They will not owe salary. What Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did in Lagos was progressivism. No state has come close to what he did,” added.
Thomas explained that a progressive party would not sell nomination forms at exorbitant prices.
“I didn’t have the 25m to purchase form. If you are a progressive, why made it that expensive. People like late Lam Adesina would not have become governor if nomination form was that high.
“I pity Dr. AbdulAzeez Adeduntan and co who bought form. Former governor Abiola Ajimobi and the leadership wanted a consensus candidate but when they couldn’t reach consensus, they should have allowed all aspirants to go the field.
“In 2015, Ajimobi, as a sitting governor, took part in the primaries. Dr. Wasiu Lam-Adesina and Barr. Adebayo Shittu contested against him. And everybody was okay at the end.
“Unlike the 2015 election, nothing was done to assuage the feelings of those who were denied the tickets,” he said, adding that “When you have a preponderance of technocrats in a party, there will be problem.”
