Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engineer Seyi Makinde, has expressed confidence that his party will win massively in the 2027 general elections. He made this statement at the Boye Nation/JAF Movement Mega Concert, held at the Open Tennis Court of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan. The event featured the formal reception of members of Boye Nation and their supporters into the APM.
The defectors, drawn from different local government areas of the state, were led by Ajiboye Akande Sangogade, an aide and loyalist of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu. Makinde stated that the defection of thousands of supporters from the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the APM was an indication of growing support for the party. He said, "God has signed off on what we are doing, and that is why it is raining. Today, we are welcoming thousands of APC members into the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and this shows that our victory is only a matter of time."
Makinde also advised the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to concentrate on the 2027 governorship contest rather than criticising his administration. He defended the use of diesel-powered generators to operate streetlights across the state, saying the measure was necessitated by the electricity situation in the country. As an engineer, Makinde noted that criticism of the streetlighting arrangement should also take into account the Federal Government's handling of the nation's electricity supply.
The governor responded to criticism of his professional credentials and those of the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi. He said, "He said I am an engineer yet we power streetlights with diesel. I believe he is pained because I said he is an unsuccessful lawyer. But where is the lie? I am an engineer and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers – meaning I have excelled in my chosen career." Makinde added that Adekanmbi had professional qualifications in accounting.
The APM governorship candidate, Adekanmbi, is a graduate of Accounting and a professional who is also a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, the highest qualification in the profession. Makinde also questioned Alli's professional credentials, saying, "Ask Alli if he has any recognition in his own profession. He is not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria." The event featured musical performances by Fuji artistes.
The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has described the musical concert organized by the ruling Allied People's Movement on Monday as a waste of public funds. In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by its publicity secretary, Olawale Sadare, the party berated the leadership of the APM over alleged forceful closure of many markets in Ibadan and coercion of traders, commercial motorists, and other residents to attend the rally.
The APC stated that the event cost billions of naira taken from the state treasury. The party also criticized the use of the Adamasingba Stadium for the event, saying it was a waste of public funds, especially given the stadium's poor condition and the recent rejection of the facility by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its matches. The party questioned the allocation of N5.5 billion for the stadium's rehabilitation.
Key points
- Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has expressed confidence that his party will win massively in the 2027 general elections.
- Makinde welcomed thousands of APC members into the APM, citing growing support for the party.
- The APC in Oyo State described the APM's musical concert as a waste of public funds.
