A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Engr. Austin Pelemo, has rejected the authenticity of a purported APC Elders Forum allegedly led by Hon. Demola Ijabiyi, insisting that the group cannot claim to speak on behalf of the entire elders of the party in the state.
Pelemo, in a statement made available to journalists, said his attention was drawn to a meeting held under the banner of the Ondo State APC Elders Forum.
He described the development as an attempt capable of misleading members of the public and urged party faithful to distinguish between officially recognised party structures and groups formed without the approval of the appropriate party authorities.
According to him, the APC is a disciplined political organisation with an established leadership structure, stressing that no individual or group should constitute itself as an official elders’ body without due recognition by the party leadership.
Pelemo maintained that any legitimate forum claiming to represent APC elders in Ondo State must reflect the history, ideology and broad membership of the party across the three senatorial districts.
He said, “The APC is a disciplined political party with an established leadership structure. At no time in the history of our party has any individual or group constituted itself into an APC Elders Forum without the approval and recognition of the party leadership.”
The APC chieftain further argued that the history of the party could not be separated from the contributions of political leaders who helped build the progressive movement from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and eventually the APC.
He said a credible gathering of APC elders should ordinarily bring together respected leaders from across the three senatorial districts who have demonstrated longstanding commitment to the party and its progressive ideals.
Pelemo also questioned the political pedigree of some participants at the purported meeting, noting that some of them were until recently members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He, however, acknowledged that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to belong to any political party, adding that the APC remains open to individuals who genuinely identify with its ideals.
According to him, recent membership of the APC should not automatically translate into the authority to redefine the party’s traditions or speak for longstanding party elders.
He also made reference to the political history of Ijabiyi, alleging that the APC figure was a prominent supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election before subsequently joining the APC.
Pelemo said the historical background was relevant to understanding why some longstanding APC members might question the legitimacy of the purported elders’ forum.
He urged members of the APC in Ondo State to remain united and disciplined, particularly at a time when, according to him, the party has made significant progress under the leadership of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
He stressed that the current political environment required unity, loyalty and constructive engagement rather than the emergence of parallel structures capable of creating confusion within the party.
Pelemo therefore maintained that the purported Ijabiyi-led forum should be regarded as a gathering of those who participated in it and not as the authentic voice of APC elders across Ondo State.
He called on party members to respect the established structures of the APC and support the leadership entrusted with the affairs of the party.
“Our collective responsibility is to strengthen our party, respect its constitutional structures, and support the leadership entrusted with its affairs,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to the APC, Ondo State and Nigeria
