By Olatunde Ajayi
Ogbomoso (Oyo State), Jan. 5, 2025 (NAN)
In a significant and early strategic move, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has launched its campaign machinery for the 2027 general elections, with a major rally in Ogbomoso aimed at consolidating support for President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid. This event, more than a simple rally, signals the party’s intent to lock down its base and manage internal dynamics well ahead of the official campaign season, a tactic crucial in Nigeria’s highly competitive political landscape.
The mobilization effort, facilitated by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Team led by former Senate Leader Sen. Teslim Folarin, represents a top-down strategy to unify the party’s often-fractious state chapter. The resolution to traverse all seven geopolitical zones and fourteen federal constituencies in Oyo State underscores a recognition that victory in 2027 requires early, granular groundwork, particularly in a state with a strong opposition presence.
The open-air rally at Soun Hall served as a platform for a unanimous call for unity—a recurring theme in Nigerian politics where internal party crises frequently cost elections. Sen. Folarin’s keynote address framed the mission as one of grassroots evangelism for the “Renewed Hope Agenda.” This highlights a critical post-2023 election reality: the need for the ruling party to translate national policies into localized, understandable benefits for voters who are yet to feel tangible economic relief. Folarin’s charge that “informed minds must educate others” suggests an acknowledgment of a potential information or perception gap regarding the administration’s achievements.
Ambassador-designate Mrs. Florence Ajimobi’s remarks further emphasized unity, tying internal peace directly to the dual goal of re-electing President Tinubu and reclaiming the Oyo State Government House in Agodi. This dual focus is politically astute, as it offers state-level stakeholders a concrete objective—gubernatorial power—beyond the presidential race, thereby incentivizing cooperation.
The high point of the meeting, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was the formal endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term and the welcome of hundreds of defectors from across five local government areas (Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Oriire, Ogo‑Oluwa, and Surulere). Defector ceremonies are a staple of Nigerian political rallies, serving both to demoralize the opposition and to project an image of growing momentum. The scale and geographic spread of these new members are key metrics the party will showcase.
The sheer breadth of stakeholders present reveals a concerted effort to present a united front. The attendance list reads like a who’s who of Oyo State APC, including:
– Party Administration: State Chairman Alhaji Olayide Abas.
– Federal Executive Presence: Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
– Historical Institutional Memory: Multiple former deputy governors (Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Alake Adeyemo, Alhaji Rauf Olaniyan).
– National Assembly Bloc: Senators Abdulfatai Buhari, Sarafadeen Alli, Yunus Akintunde, and Ayoade Adeseun.
– Presidential Liaison: Chief Sunday Dare, Special Adviser Information and Strategy to the President.
This gathering indicates a temporary suspension of internal rivalries, likely brokered by the national party, to align behind the presidential project. The success of this unity will be tested as primary elections approach and local ambitions surface.
Context & Strategic Implications:
1. Early Bird Strategy: Starting mobilization in January 2025 for a 2027 election is exceptionally early, even by Nigerian standards. This suggests the APC aims to define the narrative, secure commitments, and iron out internal issues long before the opposition crystallizes its strategy.
2. The Ogbomoso Choice: Ogbomoso is a crucial political hub in Oyo North. A strong show of force here is a message to the entire state and neighboring regions. It is also a direct appeal to the political legacy of the late former Governor Lamidi Adesina and the current influence of figures like former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s political family (represented by Hon. Olamiju Alao-Akala).
3. The “Renewed Hope” Grassroots Challenge: The directive to take the agenda to the grassroots is the core challenge. It will require moving beyond rhetoric to demonstrating specific, localised projects, economic improvements, and policy impacts that resonate with the average voter in Ogbomoso’s markets and farms.
4. 2027 as a Referendum: The rally frames 2027 not just as an election but as a referendum on Tinubu’s first-term performance, particularly on economy, security, and stability. The party’s task is to ensure the assessment is positive.
In conclusion, the Ogbomoso rally is less a news event and more a strategic opening move in the long game for 2027. It combines symbolic unity, early mobilization, grassroots rhetoric, and defector acquisition into a single package. Its true success, however, will be measured by the sustained cohesion of the showcased stakeholders and the party’s ability to convert this early mobilization into tangible voter satisfaction and, ultimately, votes.
Edited by Bayo Sekoni
TUN/AOS
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