Politics
APC Urges Fairness in Oyo LG Election
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has reiterated its call for Governor Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to ensure the forthcoming local government council election is conducted with fairness and credibility as all eyes are on them.
The party had initially considered boycotting the election due to the absence of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), citing the interest of the masses who desired urgent discontinuation of attempts by the Makinde administration to completely render the third tier of government useless.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC appealed to voters in the state to shun apathy and come out on April 27 to cast their ballots for its candidates as “doing so would be the only antidote to the imminent total collapse of the 33 local government councils as well as erosion of democracy from the grassroots level.”
“As a responsible political party, the question of whether we would participate in the planned election has been addressed. For the sake of the record, we never shied away from performing our duties as this concerns fielding credible candidates for lawful elections and ensuring citizens’ participation in constitutional democratic processes. We insisted on the usage of BVAS for this election because we wanted OYSIEC to be fair to all parties concerned and it should be known that the machines could not function in favour of our party alone on the day of the election.”
“But when it became obvious that OYSIEC would not be able to secure the machines from INEC, we mobilized some other serious parties and got assurances of ideal conduct of the April 27 poll from the state electoral body. We got the OYSIEC chairman, Aare Isiaka Olagunju SAN, and his Commission to restate their commitment to a free, fair, and credible poll as they agreed to the following terms; one, only original an owner of a PVC, who shows up at the polling unit on the day of the election, will be eligible to cast his or her vote. Two, Comprehensive Voter Register will be reproduced and pasted on the wall of each Polling Unit three or four days before the poll.”
“Three; no Amotekun Corps, PMS employees, or officials of security outfits not owned by the Federal Government will be involved in election duty. Four; representatives of each participating political party will be allowed to inspect sensitive poll materials and also follow up on the distribution of the same materials to guarantee transparency and accountability. Five; foreign and local organisations who have applied for accreditation to serve as Observers and Monitors on the day of the election will be considered and given special identification tags as no elected or appointed officials of either local, state, or federal government will have the right move round in the guise of monitoring the poll.”
“Last but not least; results are to be processed and announced at each Polling Unit before transmission to the Ward Collation Centre and later Local Government Collation Centre where winners will be declared by the relevant officials. In the same vein, we urge the security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to plan and ensure they play their part before, during, and after the election so that the Pacesetter state would be better for it.” Sadare added.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to resign immediately, alleging that his recent remarks on state security exposed incompetence and an inability to lead.
Governor Makinde, speaking during his acceptance speech as the Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ibadan on Saturday, lamented that he could do little to rescue abducted school children and residents in Oriire Local Government Area due to all security structures being under federal control.
Reacting, APC State Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the governor’s comments as “the height of cluelessness, insincerity, and criminal ineptitude,” warning that such disclosures reflect a dangerous trend among parochial leaders.
Sadare said, “Engr. Seyi Makinde could not find any fault in the nation’s Constitution, yet he swore twice to protect lives and properties of Oyo people. He has long enjoyed the powers of his office, controlling resources and people without challenge, but now faces a serious test, exposing incompetence, cluelessness, and ego.”
He added, “Instead of addressing security challenges, Makinde is exploiting the situation to push a mirage he calls a presidential ambition in 2027. His insensitive comments once again reveal hypocrisy. It is time he quit the office of the governor, having admitted he lacks the capacity to secure the state.”
The APC also recalled that previous governors, including Alhaji Lam Adesina, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, and the late Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, operated under the same constitutional provisions without similar security failures. Sadare particularly praised Ajimobi for establishing a Security Trust Fund to ensure funding and stakeholder involvement in security, in contrast to the current administration.
“Makinde’s presidential ambition is dead on arrival. Our concern is the continued loss, deprivation, and mismanagement the people of Oyo may suffer in the remaining year of his tenure. The state deserves a team player, a sincere and humble governor — qualities Makinde has failed to demonstrate in seven years. He should apologise and step down,” Sadare concluded.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Saturday emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the 2027 general election following the conclusion of the party’s presidential nomination process.
Makinde emerged through consensus and affirmation by party delegates during the exercise, in what party leaders described as a demonstration of unity and confidence in his leadership ahead of the next general elections.
The governor was presented with his Certificate of Return by the National Chairman of the APM, Alhaji Yusuf Dantali, during a ceremony held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, amid cheers from party faithful, delegates and supporters drawn from different parts of the country.
Speaking during the presentation, Dantali said Makinde possesses the leadership qualities, administrative experience and vision required to steer the country towards sustainable growth and national development.
He urged party members across the federation to close ranks and intensify grassroots mobilisation to ensure victory for the party in the 2027 presidential election.
The APM national chairman maintained that the party remained committed to presenting Nigerians with what he described as a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.
According to him, the emergence of Makinde as the party’s flag bearer marked the beginning of a new political movement aimed at restoring hope and strengthening democratic governance in the country.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Makinde expressed appreciation to the leadership of the party and delegates for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to work with stakeholders across political, ethnic and religious divides to advance the party’s vision for national transformation.
The governor assured party supporters of his commitment to inclusive leadership, promising to prioritise policies that would improve economic prosperity, strengthen institutions and enhance the welfare of Nigerians if elected.
Five key members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have been appointed to the party’s campaign committee for the 2026 governorship re-election of Governor Abiodun Oyebanji in Ekiti State.
The Oyo APC leaders on the list include the party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, former Senate leader Teslim Folarin, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Zacch Adedeji, and Remi Oseni.
The list, signed by the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru, reflects the APC’s strategy of deploying experienced political figures with strong grassroots networks to ensure a successful re-election campaign in Ekiti.
“These appointments recognise their political experience and commitment to advancing the party’s agenda,” the source within the party said.
The APC committee is expected to coordinate campaign activities, voter engagement, and messaging, positioning the party for a strong showing in the 2026 governorship election.
-
News1 week agoEid: Oseni Calls for Vigilance, Lauds Security Operatives
-
Politics6 days agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
News1 week agoOyo Abduction: SWEGOP Demands Swift Rescue of Pupils, Teachers
-
News1 week agoFG Declares May 27, 28 Public Holidays for Eid-ul-Adha Celebration