“Let History Be the Judge”: Ojudu Pens Scathing Open Letter to Oyegun Over ADC Defection
Jerry Adesewo
Abuja, July 7, 2025 – Former presidential aide and journalist Babafemi Ojudu has stirred political discourse across the country with a sharply worded open letter to former APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, published on his Facebook page earlier today, challenging his recent re-emergence on the national stage as a leading figure in the newly invigorated opposition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Posted this morning on Ojudu’s official Facebook page, the letter, titled “An Open Letter to Papa John Odigie-Oyegun: A Time for Reflection,” raises questions about Chief Oyegun’s legacy, his role in the formation and decline of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and what Ojudu sees as a pattern of unrepentant political opportunism.
“You were National Chairman of the APC for over four years. You didn’t inherit a broken party. You helped build what it has become. If the party is struggling today, you must own a fair share of the blame,” Ojudu wrote.
The letter appears to have been prompted by a recent TV interview in which media mogul and political commentator Dele Momodu praised Oyegun as a symbol of hope for Nigeria’s political renewal. While Ojudu acknowledged Momodu’s intentions as noble, he disagreed with the conclusion, calling it “deeply unsettling” and misleading to a younger generation unaware of the internal crises that plagued the APC under Oyegun’s leadership.
“The young Nigerians watching today’s political actors must not be misled by revisionist narratives or unearned reputations. They deserve the truth—plain and unvarnished,” he said.
A Personal Yet National Concern
While Ojudu said he initially considered contacting Oyegun privately, he opted for a public letter due to what he called the “national consequence” of uncritical glorification of past political actors. His tone, while respectful, was unflinchingly direct.
He detailed how, as APC National Chairman, Oyegun presided over what he described as a series of anti-democratic practices, particularly flawed party primaries that undermined internal democracy and led to public disenchantment.
Ojudu cited the Ekiti State governorship primary of 2018, in which he was a participant. He alleged that Oyegun ignored the findings of a duly constituted screening committee simply because its outcome did not favour his preferred candidate.
“You had the chance to institutionalize due process. Instead, you made it optional… In place of integrity, you empowered impunity,” he charged.
Revisiting 2023: A Missed Redemption
The former Senator also pointed to Oyegun’s role as Chairman of the APC Presidential Screening Committee in 2023, which he claimed was another opportunity squandered.
“Again, the committee’s work was buried. Again, Nigerians were denied transparency,” Ojudu said, challenging Oyegun to publish both the 2018 and 2023 screening reports “so that Nigerians can judge for themselves.”
On the ADC Defection: “Not National Renewal, But Personal Reinvention”
Oyegun’s recent defection to the ADC—a party being touted as the platform for Nigeria’s emerging opposition movement—was met with scepticism by Ojudu, who questioned the former governor’s motives.
“Let’s be honest. This defection isn’t about democracy. It’s not about saving Nigeria. It’s about reinvention—personal reinvention, not national renewal,” he wrote.
Without condemning the ADC itself, Ojudu offered a word of caution to its leadership:
“If you truly intend to be different, then you must understand the mistakes that brought the ruling party to its knees… You cannot welcome key architects of dysfunction without demanding accountability.”
Pattern of Political Convenience?
Ojudu listed Oyegun’s long history of party-hopping—from the APP to the ANPP, ACN, APC, SDP, and now the ADC—arguing that the trend reflected a career driven more by survival than principle.
“You could have set standards. You could have elevated leadership. Instead, you chose loyalty to power over principle,” he lamented.
Reaction and Implications
While Chief Oyegun has yet to issue a formal response, political watchers say Ojudu’s letter is likely to rekindle debate over political accountability, especially as the 2027 election season draws closer and opposition movements begin to coalesce.
Some observers view the letter as both a warning shot to the ADC and a broader reflection of Nigeria’s cyclical political history, where key figures often rebrand without confronting past roles in systemic failures.
“This letter is not about bitterness,” Ojudu concluded. “It is about memory. And duty. Some of us will document these events in full, not for vindication, but so that those who inherit this country will understand where we failed, and perhaps do better.”
Whether one agrees with his tone or not, Babafemi Ojudu has reignited an important national conversation: Can a new political order be built on foundations laid by old actors without accountability?
As the ADC positions itself as Nigeria’s next political force, it will have to wrestle with that question—not just in press releases, but in the hard choices it makes about who leads, who follows, and who must be left behind.
“Let History Be the Judge”: Ojudu Pens Scathing Open Letter to Oyegun Over ADC Defection