The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has urged eligible voters across the district and the state to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) begins distributing newly printed cards ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He urged eligible voters who participated in the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), transferred their polling units or applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to take advantage of the exercise and collect their cards.

Oseni said the commencement of the distribution exercise was an important opportunity for eligible voters to complete the process ahead of the 2027 elections, urging them not to wait until the final days before collecting their cards.

“Democracy is not sustained by the demand for good governance alone; it also depends on the willingness of citizens to participate responsibly in the process of choosing their leaders.

“I therefore urge every eligible voter to collect their PVC and exercise their civic responsibility. No citizen should wait until the last moment before taking this important step,” he said.

The call comes as INEC commences the distribution and collection of 77,015 newly printed PVCs across Oyo State from Friday, October 9, to Thursday, October 15, 2026.

The exercise will take place at the state’s 351 Registration Areas and wards between 9am and 3pm daily, including weekends.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Prof. Adeniran Tella, said the commission would also make available unclaimed PVCs printed ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Oseni commended INEC for making the newly printed cards available ahead of the 2027 elections, saying eligible voters should take advantage of the exercise to obtain their cards in good time.

He also urged the electoral commission to ensure that the collection process remained transparent, accessible and orderly, while addressing avoidable difficulties that could discourage eligible voters.

“Every eligible voter should be given a fair and easy opportunity to collect their PVC. A smooth process will encourage more people to participate in the democratic process,” he added.

The federal lawmaker further urged INEC to sustain its efforts to improve access to PVCs and ensure that no eligible voter across Oyo State is left out of the electoral process.

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has said the recent commendation of President Bola Tinubu by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has raised fresh questions about the political platform backing Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s 2027 presidential ambition.

The organisation described Mohammed’s remarks as a contradiction that could undermine the argument being advanced by Makinde and his supporters for a change of leadership at the federal level.

Mohammed, who is the national leader of the Allied Peoples Movement, the platform on which Makinde is seeking the presidency, had publicly acknowledged that Tinubu had “done so well” in some key areas, particularly finance, health and security.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, Bisi Oladele, said the Bauchi governor’s comments were significant given his position within the political structure supporting Makinde’s presidential bid.

Oladele said it was difficult to reconcile Mohammed’s commendation of the President with the argument that Nigerians needed to replace Tinubu in 2027.

“The question Nigerians should now ask is simple: if one of the principal promoters of Makinde’s presidential ambition truthfully admits that President Tinubu is doing well, what exactly is the justification for Makinde asking Nigerians to replace the President?” the statement read.

The campaign organisation said Mohammed deserved commendation for acknowledging what he considered positive aspects of the Federal Government’s performance instead of opposing the administration on every issue.

It argued that the governor’s remarks had also exposed what it described as contradictions within the political coalition around Makinde.

The organisation recalled that Mohammed had previously backed Makinde’s presidential aspiration and spoken positively about his leadership qualities.

It therefore questioned whether the political coalition supporting the Oyo governor had a sufficiently coherent position on the performance of the Tinubu administration.

“Even more instructive is the fact that Governor Mohammed had previously endorsed Makinde and described him as the leader Nigeria needed,” the statement said.

“His latest acknowledgement of President Tinubu’s performance therefore raises legitimate political questions about the cohesion, conviction and sustainability of the so-called coalition behind Makinde.”

The Alli campaign organisation further alleged that Makinde’s presidential ambition could be part of a broader political bargaining strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.

It said the Oyo governor’s presidential aspiration appeared to be serving as a means of strengthening his negotiating position as political alliances and permutations ahead of 2027 continue to take shape.

“We have always maintained that Makinde’s so-called presidential ambition appears less like a serious pathway to Aso Rock and more like a political bargaining chip designed to enhance his negotiating position in the unfolding 2027 political equation,” it said.

The organisation also questioned the strength of Makinde’s campaign, arguing that presidential politics would ultimately depend on political structures, alliances, organisation and public support.

“Makinde may continue to erect billboards, commission campaign offices and make grandiose declarations about ‘resetting’ Nigeria, but politics is ultimately about structures, numbers, credibility and alliances,” it said.

The campaign organisation, however, acknowledged Makinde’s constitutional right to contest the presidency but urged him to concentrate more on his record as governor of Oyo State.

It said issues including infrastructure, education, healthcare, the state’s finances, the local economy and workers’ welfare should also form part of the assessment of his administration.

“The people of Oyo State are more interested in his legacy—the state’s debt profile, the condition of the local economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare and the welfare of workers—than in a presidential adventure whose political foundations are already crumbling,” the statement added.

It concluded that while Makinde was entitled to pursue his presidential ambition, ambition alone should not be confused with national acceptance or political viability.

“Governor Makinde is free to aspire to the highest office in the land. That is his constitutional right. But he should not mistake ambition for viability, publicity for popularity or political bargaining for a genuine national movement,” the organisation said.

A prominent youth leader in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, Com. Anuoluwani Omidiji, has dumped the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Omidiji, who was said to be a strong supporter of the APM, announced his return to the APC after meeting with the party’s Deputy Governorship candidate, Hon. Adesoji Adedeji, at the APC campaign office in Ibadan on Saturday.

He also returned to the party with his supporters.

In a statement personally signed by him and titled, “Seeing Before and Beyond APM: A Reconstructive Voyage Back To My APC Home,” Omidiji said his decision followed careful reflection on his recent political engagements and personal convictions.

He identified youth inclusion, grassroots development, employment and empowerment, as well as security, peace and justice, as some of the key principles that influenced his decision.

Omidiji said young people should have meaningful opportunities to participate in governance, leadership, employment and human-capital development.

He also stressed the need for effective grassroots development, saying local governance and meaningful autonomy were important to ensuring that development reached communities directly.

According to him, Oyo State requires policies capable of expanding employment opportunities, creating jobs and strengthening human capacity across different sectors.

On security, peace and justice, Omidiji said every citizen deserved security, fairness and justice, as well as the opportunity to contribute positively to society.

The youth leader said his meeting with Adedeji further strengthened his interest in returning to the APC.

He said, “My interaction with the incoming APC Deputy Governorship candidate, Hon.Adesoji Adedeji, left a strong impression on me. His accessibility, willingness to listen and emphasis on grassroots concerns strengthened my interest in the direction being presented under the APC platform.”

Reflecting on his experience in the APM, Omidiji said his involvement with the party gave him an opportunity to engage with alternative political ideas.

He, however, said further reflection convinced him that his political journey should reconnect with the APC, where he said he found greater alignment with his longstanding aspirations and principles.

He said, “My engagement with APM provided an opportunity to listen to alternative political ideas. However, after further reflection, I believe my political journey should reconnect with the platform where I see greater alignment with my longstanding aspirations and principles.”

Omidiji said his focus ahead of 2027 would be on supporting constructive political participation and programmes capable of promoting development, accountability, peace and opportunities for the people of Oyo State.

“For me, 2027 is about ideas, inclusion, development and the future of our people. I will continue to advocate for a peaceful and egalitarian Oyo State where youths, women, workers, entrepreneurs and communities can participate meaningfully in development,” he said.

He subsequently declared his renewed commitment to the APC, saying the party remained his political home.

“APC has it all in the pack for a brighter Oyo State. APC is my home again, and again. APC—Progress!” he added.