The Chairman of the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM) in Saki West Local Government, Alhaji Najeemdeen Moosa, has rejected the outcome of the party’s reported consensus meeting held to produce its chairmanship candidate, alleging that the process excluded the original leadership of the party and was dominated by recent defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on the development, Alhaji Moosa described the exercise as lacking the inclusiveness required for a genuine consensus, insisting that the meeting did not adequately carry along the party’s established leadership in the local government.
According to him, if the local government election is to be contested under the APM platform, both the original members of the party and those who recently joined from the PDP should have participated equally in the decision-making process.
“What many witnessed was not a consensus but a gathering where one political bloc appeared to be consulting itself and selecting itself while expecting others to endorse the outcome,” he said.
The APM chairman maintained that consensus should be built on fairness, consultation and compromise among all stakeholders, rather than selective participation.
He further expressed surprise over what he described as the imbalance in the process, stating that it would be difficult to believe such an arrangement reflected the intention of Governor Seyi Makinde if the objective was to foster unity within the party.
Alhaji Moosa argued that politics thrives on inclusion and mutual respect, warning that any process that sidelines key stakeholders risks losing credibility and acceptance.
Using a metaphor to illustrate his position, he likened the situation to “a tenant attempting to assume the role of a landlord,” suggesting that recent entrants into the party were taking decisions without according due recognition to the party’s longstanding leadership.
He also cited Yoruba proverbs to reinforce his argument, saying that strangers should not assume control over an existing structure while its original custodians remain present.
The chairman further alleged that one political tendency appeared to be seeking dominance across elective positions, including the local government chairmanship, despite already occupying several strategic political offices.
According to him, the reported consensus process has attracted criticism because it failed to provide all relevant stakeholders with an equal opportunity to participate.
He stressed that legitimacy in politics cannot be imposed but must be earned through a transparent and inclusive process.
“If the objective is peace, every stakeholder must have a voice. But if the objective is domination, calling the process a consensus will not change its true nature,” he said.
Alhaji Moosa concluded that unless all interests within the party are accommodated, the exercise may deepen rather than resolve internal disagreements ahead of the local government election.
