The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has told Governor Seyi Makinde and his governorship candidate, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, that they will fail in 2027, citing the low turnout at Saturday’s APM campaign flag-off in Oyo town as a sign that Oyo State has turned its back on them.
Adekanmbi is the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the party on which Makinde is also seeking the presidency.
The rally was held at Durbar Stadium, Oyo town, to unveil Adekanmbi’s governorship campaign and other APM candidates for the National and State Assemblies.
The campaign was a product of months of planning and mobilization of members from the 33 local governments of the state but became an embarrassing outing, according to a statement signed by SSACO’s Director of Media and Publicity Bisi Oladele.
The statement said the humiliating attendance, including absence of some candidates, nailed Oyo APC’s position that APM lacks grassroots appeal and meaningful popularity in Oyo State, and, therefore, lacks the capacity to attract widespread support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It further said the embarrassing poor attendance at the Oyo State APM governorship campaign flag-off in Oyo town on Saturday was another confirmation that Oyo State people have rejected the party’s governorship candidate Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi and his sponsor Governor Seyi Makinde.
It stated that while Governor Makinde keeps pumping Oyo State money into Adekanmbi’s governorship bid and his unrealistic presidential election project, both had their ego terribly bruised on Saturday, seeing that Oyo State people have turned their back against them.
It added:” Will the people at the grassroots across the 33 local governments of Oyo State forget how they have been robbed of democracy dividends in the last seven and half years? Will they forget how agriculture, youth development and industrialization have suffered under Governor Seyi Makinde? They do not forget how rural roads and damaged bridges in their local governments have received no attention due to paralysed local government councils.
“This Saturday, Oyo State people have told Governor Seyi Makinde, on whose credibility Hon. Adekanmbi is running, that government of deceit can last for eight years but the people who are the victims, will never forget.
“Interestingly, Governor Seyi Makinde told the little crowd that Nigerians will show APC in the 2027 elections what it has not seen before. Ironically, Oyo State people used Saturday’s campaign to tell Governor Makinde what he was not ready to hear – your time is over; therefore, your stooge does not stand a chance.”