Stakeholders and indigenes of Awe town in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State have raised concerns over alleged political exclusion and the breach of a prior zoning arrangement within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area.
In an open letter addressed to Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, and made available to journalists, a PDP stakeholder and aspirant for Afijio State Constituency, Diekola Owonikoko, said the people of Awe were appealing for justice, fairness and inclusion in the political structure of the local government.
Owonikoko stated that ahead of the Constituency 1 election that produced the current member of the State House of Assembly, there was an understanding among party leaders and stakeholders that, in the spirit of equity and unity, the position of Local Government Chairman would be zoned to Awe town.
He explained that based on that understanding, he and other aspirants from the area stepped down from the chairmanship race, trusting that the arrangement would be honoured and that Awe would also be considered for subsequent political opportunities, particularly the House of Assembly seat.
According to him, “There was a clear and collective understanding among party leaders and stakeholders across Afijio that in the spirit of fairness, equity and unity, the position of the Local Government Chairman would be zoned to Awe town.”
However, he alleged that developments that followed left the people of Awe disappointed, as the perceived zoning arrangement was not respected, with the House of Assembly ticket reportedly redirected to another community within the local government.
He further noted that, “In the interest of peace and party unity, I, Diekola Owonikoko, was one of the aspirants who made the difficult sacrifice of stepping down during the previous arrangement.”
According to him, the situation has created a sense of exclusion among Awe indigenes, who now feel politically sidelined despite their loyalty and sacrifices within the party.
He also stressed that the growing imbalance in political representation had left Awe without significant political offices, while other communities continue to hold multiple positions, a development he said was discouraging party faithful in the area.
Owonikoko added that, “We are not asking for favoritism, we are asking for fairness. We are not demanding power, we are seeking equity. We are not resisting leadership, we are appealing for inclusion.”
He appealed directly to Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene in the matter, urging a fair review of past understandings and a more inclusive approach to future political arrangements within Afijio.
The stakeholders expressed hope that intervention from the Governor would help restore confidence, unity and trust among members across Awe and the wider Afijio axis.
He further called for urgent steps to prevent rising internal tension, warning that continued dissatisfaction could affect cohesion and stability within the party at the grassroots level.
