As the 2023 General Elections get closer, peace is yet to return to state chapters of some major political parties as most of them still have internal crises.In this report, TVC News Correspondent Olaide Oyewole takes a look at how internal crisis may affect some political parties in Oyo state.
Politicians often refer to Oyo State as the cradle of Southwest politics, based on the fact that Ibadan, once served as the headquarters of the Western region.
The state has produced a lot of political heavyweights in the region and in Nigeria as whole.
On the 28 of September, political campaigns will begin across the country in line with the directives of the Independent National Electoral Commission; Candidates contesting under different Political parties in the state say they are ready to unveil their plans for the people in order to seek their supports.
In Oyo state, the All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party are the two major political parties, but both parties are faced with internal crises which forced some of their members to seek refuge in other political parties. And observers say this may affect their chances in the forthcoming General Election.
In the All Progressives Congress, which is the leading opposition party in the state, the battle line was between the faction of the APC gubernatorial candidate Teslim Folarin and his counterpart, Adebayo Adelabu.
Teslim Folarin was accused of hijacking the structure of the party, which later assisted him in manipulating delegates list in his favour.
This forced Adebayo Adelabu out of the party with some of his loyalists and he later became the Governorship candidate of the Accord Party.
Similarly, in the Peoples Democratic Party, the movement of some aggrieved party members to New Nigeria Peoples Party also poses a serious threat to the ruling party in the state.
Some political analysts who about the situation in pacesetters’ state, said a lot of political developments may happen before 2023. They added that it may be too early to predict the Political party that will victorious at the polls.
While some believe that few political parties would still work together to achieve victory, others say the ultimate determinant of victory come 2023, would be the electorate.