Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has begun a fresh effort to strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections by seeking to bring back members who became dissatisfied following the party’s recent primary elections.
The governor’s latest move centres on reconciliation at the grassroots, with party leaders in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area directed to engage members who contested the primaries but were unsuccessful and may still be unhappy with the outcome.
Abiodun spoke during a meeting with APC stakeholders in Ijebu-Ode, where he made it clear that the party could not afford to allow disagreements from the primary contests to develop into lasting divisions.
Rather than treating unsuccessful aspirants as members who had become irrelevant after the primaries, the governor called for their concerns to be addressed and their continued involvement in the party encouraged.
He consequently approved the creation of a reconciliation committee for Ijebu-Ode and charged its members with the responsibility of opening discussions with aggrieved party members.
Chief Olu Okuboyejo was appointed to lead the committee, while former Deputy Governor Yetunde Onanuga and state commissioners were named among those expected to participate.
The governor also wants the exercise taken closer to party members at the grassroots. He directed that similar committees should operate at the ward and local government levels, creating a wider structure for resolving complaints and rebuilding relationships within the APC.
Abiodun said the party leadership should not wait for dissatisfied members to return on their own, but should make deliberate efforts to reach them.
“I want us to set up a reconciliation committee in Ijebu-Ode because I know that we have some of our members who are still angry. I want us to be aggressive about that reconciliation. Let us appeal to them. I am ready to implement the report of the reconciliation you will submit to me,” he said.
The governor further emphasised that reconciliation should be accompanied by an effort to make every committed member feel that there was still a place for them within the APC.
“We must reach out to them, give them a sense of belonging, assuage their concerns and ensure proper reconciliation. There is room for everybody,” Abiodun said.
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Governor targets wider APC membership
Abiodun linked the reconciliation exercise to the broader task of building the APC’s numerical strength before the next general elections.
He urged party leaders to look beyond those who participated in the primaries and lost, encouraging them to also bring into the APC people who had previously belonged to opposition parties.
According to him, electoral success depends significantly on the number of people a political party can bring together, making both reconciliation and membership expansion important to the party’s preparations.
He specifically encouraged APC members in Ijebu-Ode to welcome new entrants instead of creating barriers for people who had decided to join the ruling party.
“Those who were not with us before were the ones disturbing us and making sure our votes in Ijebu-Ode are not 100 per cent. But now that they are with us, our victory is certainly 100 per cent sure. Let us welcome them,” he said.
The governor also urged party members to make issues and the APC’s record of governance central to their political activities rather than allowing internal disagreements to dominate the party’s engagement with voters.
Abiodun highlights Ogun economic figures
While addressing the stakeholders, Abiodun also drew attention to what he described as the economic progress recorded by his administration.
He said Ogun State’s economy had expanded to about N17 trillion, while internally generated revenue had risen to N250 billion, with a further increase to N300 billion projected before the end of the year.
The governor presented the figures as part of the performance record that the APC could take to voters as the 2027 political season approaches.
He said the party should concentrate on communicating its achievements at both the state and federal levels while building a stronger structure capable of taking those messages to communities across the state.
Abiodun described the Ijebu-Ode gathering as the formal commencement of his political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also acknowledged the support received from residents and APC members in Ijebu-Ode during the 2019 and 2023 elections, assuring them that his administration would continue to pursue infrastructure development and other projects intended to improve the area.
161 polling units identified for mobilisation
The political importance of Ijebu-Ode was also highlighted at the meeting by Senator Lekan Mustapha, Director-General of the Campaign Committee.
Mustapha pointed to the local government’s position within Ogun East Senatorial District and its sizeable voting population, saying the area would require serious mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
He disclosed that Ijebu-Ode has 161 polling units, effectively placing emphasis on the need for the APC to strengthen its organisation down to individual polling units.
The focus on polling-unit mobilisation comes alongside the governor’s reconciliation initiative, with the party expected to combine grassroots engagement with efforts to settle internal disagreements.
Abiodun takes consultations beyond Ijebu-Ode
The governor’s engagement with APC stakeholders was not restricted to Ijebu-Ode.
After the meeting, Abiodun held similar discussions with party leaders and executives in Ijebu-North East and Odogbolu Local Government Areas.
The consultations form part of wider preparations by the Ogun APC as the 2027 elections draw closer.
For the party leadership, the reconciliation initiative provides an opportunity to address grievances generated by the primary elections while keeping unsuccessful aspirants and their supporters within the party’s political structure.
The establishment of committees at different levels also places responsibility on local APC leaders to identify dissatisfied members, engage them and work towards resolving issues before they become deeper divisions.
With the governor calling for an inclusive approach, the immediate task for the committees will be to translate the reconciliation directive into direct engagements with affected members and help strengthen the party’s organisation ahead of the 2027 electoral contest.
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