Rinsola Abiola, daughter of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, on Friday renounced her membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ms Abiola, who is a special assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, relinquished her membership via a letter sent to the APC chairman in her ward, Gbagura Ward 6 in Abeokuta North Local Government, Ogun State.
The former member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT) described the APC as undemocratic and unfriendly to youths and women.
In line with provisions of the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, I relinquished membership of the party in a letter addressed to my (former) ward chairman. pic.twitter.com/roiNlHKRER
— Rinsola Abiola (@Bint_Moshood) August 31, 2018
Part of her statement reads: “I write to formally communicate my decision to relinquish membership of the All Progressives Congress. This has been a five-year journey during which I have met some very exceptional people and learned from you all.
“I began consultations in October 2017 but have now concluded that while legal constraints may have been done away with, there are greater challenges that we all must contend with.
“I have been told in no unclear terms that I “must not run”, that I “should not even consider it”, and that there are “consequences for disobedience.
“I believe strongly that such things should not be tolerated in a democracy which many people fought for, with some of our heroes – my father-inclusive – losing their lives in the process.
“I also believe that if those who fought for this democracy had listened to such veiled threats or even thought about the consequences that they might face, the civil rule would not have been restored when it was.
“I have always advocated for enhanced youth and women participation in politics; this is why I believe that simply accepting this situation or making peace with what can only be described as tyranny and injustice as some have advised me to, would make me both dishonest to myself and untrue to everything I’ve ever advocated for.”
