A fresh crisis has erupted within the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State following the three-month suspension without salary of Kudirat Tijani Olabisi, a Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman of Ibadan North-West Local Government.
Olabisi, who is also the APM chairperson in Ibadan North-West Local Government and a known loyalist of the party’s state leader, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Adebisi Olopoeyan, was suspended for alleged anti-party activities, disclosure of official information and other acts of misconduct.
The suspension was contained in a letter dated August 19, 2026, signed by the Director of Administration and General Services, Mr Dada Ibukun Oluwaseun, on behalf of the council chairman.
The action followed a resolution adopted by the Legislative Council during its plenary on the same day.
The council also directed Olabisi to immediately hand over all government property in her possession to the Clerk of the House.
However, the suspension has triggered a political controversy, with Olopoeyan alleging that Olabisi was sanctioned because of her refusal to abandon the APM and support a proposed alliance involving political parties in the state.
Political sources familiar with the development said Olabisi had declined to participate in the proposed alliance and instead maintained her allegiance to the APM.
Reacting to the development, Olopoeyan defended Olabisi, insisting that her loyalty to the party could not amount to misconduct.
He said: “She was suspended because she believes in the Allied Peoples Movement. She refused to follow the political parties’ alliance that they wanted her to attend. She remained loyal to the APM and to me as the leader of the party.”
Olopoeyan also questioned the legal basis of the proposed political arrangement, arguing that political parties could not simply form an alliance and present it as a recognised electoral platform.
“There is nothing like political parties’ alliance in the electoral law of INEC. The Independent National Electoral Commission does not recognise political parties’ alliance,” he said.
APM candidates challenge fresh primaries
The development comes amid a separate dispute over the APM’s candidates for the forthcoming Oyo State local government elections.
Thirty-three chairmanship candidates and 351 councillorship candidates who emerged from the party’s August 3, 2026 primaries have approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan, seeking an order restraining the party from conducting another primary election for the same positions.
The plaintiffs are challenging any attempt to organise fresh primaries, arguing that the August 3 exercise was validly conducted and monitored by the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).
They said the results of the exercise were subsequently submitted to OYSIEC, arguing that the process should therefore be recognised.
The candidates are also asking the court to determine whether OYSIEC has the power to recognise more than one candidate nominated by the APM for the same chairmanship position or ward.
The court action has added to the internal disagreements over the party’s leadership and candidate-selection process as the local government elections approach.
Olabisi’s suspension has further heightened the controversy, particularly because of her position as the APM chairperson in Ibadan North-West and her reported allegiance to Olopoeyan.
The latest development is expected to generate further reactions within the party as the APM grapples with its internal disagreements and attempts to resolve the disputes surrounding its candidates ahead of the council elections.
The post APM crisis: Olopoeyan’s loyalist suspended over alliance dispute appeared first on Vanguard News.
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