Dayo Adeyeye
The unfolding political reality in the Osun East Senatorial District within the All Progressives Congress, APC, presents a difficult irony: loyal progressive stakeholders who sustained the party structure through turbulent years increasingly feel sidelined, while political decampees are rapidly elevated into positions of influence and strategic relevance.
For many grassroots progressives, this development raises a fundamental question of political justice and ideological consistency. The progressive movement in Osun State was historically built on sacrifice, loyalty, resistance, and long-term commitment. From ward mobilization to election defense, many party faithful endured years of opposition politics, internal crises, and electoral setbacks with the expectation that dedication would eventually translate into recognition and inclusion.
However, the current pattern appears to reward political migration over political loyalty.
The irony is sharpest in Osun East Senatorial District, where many longstanding party loyalists now watch newcomers, some of whom previously opposed the progressive family, now gaining immediate access to appointments, endorsements, and strategic opportunities. While political expansion through defections is a legitimate democratic strategy, over prioritizing decampees at the expense of committed party builders risks weakening the moral foundation of the party itself.
A political structure survives not merely because of elite alliances, but because of the confidence of its grassroots base. Once loyal party members begin to feel disposable, demoralization sets in. The consequences may not appear immediately, but they often manifest during critical electoral moments through voter apathy, silent resistance, weakened mobilization, and internal fragmentation.
The challenge before the leadership of the APC in Osun State is therefore both strategic and moral:
How does the party welcome new entrants without humiliating old loyalists?
How does it balance electoral pragmatism with ideological identity?
How does it preserve the spirit of progressivism while pursuing political expansion?
A sustainable political future cannot be built on the continuous displacement of those who nurtured the structure from inception.
Decampees may strengthen numbers, but committed progressives sustain institutions.
The history of progressive politics in Osun State has always thrived when loyalty, competence, grassroots connection, and sacrifice were respected. Ignoring these values may create temporary political convenience, but it risks long-term instability within the party fold.
Ultimately, the real strength of any progressive movement lies not only in the ability to attract new allies, but also in the wisdom to protect the dignity, relevance, and morale of its faithful.
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