Former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Isiaka Babatunde Kazeem, popularly known as “Arole,” has declared that the factional crisis currently bedeviling the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State would not have existed if the late former governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, were still alive.
Arole, a prominent chieftain of the party in Oyo State, who represented Oyo East/West state constituency in the 9th Assembly, said the vacuum created by Ajimobi’s death in June 2020 remains one of the major factors responsible for the internal divisions, factional struggles and leadership contestations currently confronting the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking exclusively with westernmirror.com.ng via a phone conversation on Friday, June 12, the former lawmaker described the late governor as a rare political tactician, bridge-builder and unifying force whose influence transcended individual ambitions and political interests.
According to him, Ajimobi possessed an uncommon ability to harmonize divergent interests within the party and maintain discipline among members, qualities that made APC a dominant political force in Oyo State during his lifetime.
“Without mincing words, if Senator Abiola Ajimobi were still alive today, the APC in Oyo State would not be experiencing the level of leadership struggles and fragmentation we are witnessing ahead of the 2027 elections,” Arole stated.
“He was not only the leader of the party but also the rallying point for all tendencies within the APC. Whenever disagreements arose, he had the political wisdom, courage and moral authority to bring everyone to the table and forge a common front.”
The former legislator noted that under Ajimobi’s leadership, APC enjoyed unprecedented political vibrancy, cohesion and grassroots mobilization across the state’s 33 local government areas.
He recalled that the late governor built a formidable political structure that transformed the party into one of the strongest political organizations in the South-West, culminating in his historic re-election in 2015, which broke Oyo State’s long-standing second-term governorship jinx.
According to Arole, Ajimobi’s leadership style combined firmness with inclusiveness, enabling him to manage competing political interests without allowing disagreements to degenerate into crises capable of weakening the party.
“Ajimobi understood politics as a game of consultation, accommodation and strategic leadership. He ensured that party members, stakeholders and leaders across all zones had a sense of belonging. That was why APC remained formidable and united under his watch,” he said.
Describing the former governor as the “political compass” of the party, Arole lamented that since his passing, several individuals and groups have struggled to fill the vacuum he left behind, resulting in recurring disputes over leadership and control of the party structure.
He said the late governor’s influence extended beyond Oyo State, noting that his position as Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC and later Acting National Chairman further elevated the status of Oyo APC within national politics.
The former lawmaker urged party leaders and stakeholders to embrace the principles of unity, discipline and collective responsibility championed by Ajimobi if the APC hopes to regain power in Oyo State in 2027.
“Rather than engaging in unnecessary supremacy battles, members should draw lessons from Ajimobi’s leadership.
“His legacy teaches us that a united party is stronger than individual ambitions.
“Those who truly admired and benefited from his leadership must place the interest of the party above personal considerations. That is the only way APC can reposition itself as a credible alternative and return to power in Oyo State,” he added.
Arole further called on elders and influential figures within the party to intensify reconciliation efforts and work towards rebuilding trust among aggrieved members ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential political figures in Oyo State’s democratic history, Ajimobi governed the state from 2011 to 2019 and remains the first governor to secure two consecutive terms in office since the state’s creation.
Arole said many party faithful still view his administration as the golden era of APC politics in Oyo State, characterized by strong grassroots structures, coordinated party leadership and a clear chain of command that kept internal disputes largely under control.