Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) senatorial candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District, has urged party members and political defectors in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State to embrace unity, reconciliation and grassroots mobilisation ahead of the December 2026 local government elections and the 2027 general election.
Ajadi made the appeal after attending an APM meeting in Egbeda organised to welcome and recognise new members from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Boye Nation, particularly those from the local government area.
In a statement issued shortly after the meeting, Ajadi urged the defectors and returning members to put past political disagreements behind them and work collectively to strengthen the party’s structure across Egbeda.
‘Let us not allow personal differences to distract us from the bigger picture. Our responsibility is to reach the people, listen to their concerns and work together for the success of our candidates through peaceful and democratic participation,’ he added.
The Chairman of Egbeda Local Government, Hon. Sikiru Oyedele Sanda, who also chairs the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Oyo State and serves as Director-General of Ajadi’s campaign committee, said some members who had previously defected to the ADC and Accord had returned to the APM.
He urged them to work closely with existing party members at the ward, local government and state levels to strengthen the party and improve its chances of electoral success.
A former member of the House of Representatives and Egbeda political leader, Hon. Busari Olayemi, expressed confidence in the prospects of APM candidates, attributing his optimism partly to Governor Seyi Makinde’s political leadership and the party’s candidate-selection process.
Olayemi said Makinde’s approach to candidate selection had helped promote consensus among party leaders. He urged members to support the party’s candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, State House of Assembly and governorship in the 2027 general election.
Earlier, Hon. Ebenezer Olawale Alawe welcomed the defectors and encouraged party members to remain actively involved in political activities.
Hon. Mogaji Ganiyu Gbolagade appealed to aggrieved members to forgive one another and work towards reconciliation, while Hon. Samson Oladele, chairman of Ward 7 and chairman of ward chairmen in Egbeda, said the party maintained an active presence across the local government’s 11 wards.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Hon. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, urged members to return to their respective wards and intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Other dignitaries at the meeting included the Deputy Majority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olasunkanmi Babalola; the APM House of Representatives candidate for Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, Hon. Ezekiel Temitope Oladimeji, popularly known as Otope, who was represented by his supporters; the APM chairmanship candidate for Egbeda, Hon. Ibrahim Oladebo, popularly known as Simple; Egbeda political leader, Alhaji Lukman Akinpelu; and the Chief of Staff to Egbeda Local Government, Hon. Siyanbola Kabiru.