Ogun State's Allied Peoples' Movement is rolling out the red carpet for disgruntled politicians. The party says it'll hand automatic tickets to aggrieved aspirants from the APC and elsewhere ahead of 2027.
APM made this pledge during an event in Abeokuta on Thursday. Party officials unveiled what they call a "rescue mission" to wrest control of the state from what they termed political outsiders.
Anger has been brewing across Ogun over the ruling APC's consensus approach to selecting candidates. Many aspirants, particularly those eyeing legislative seats, have rejected the arrangement outright.
Sanyaolu Abayomi, APM's state chairman, spoke as town planning expert Rotimi Matthew Babajide formally announced his governorship bid on the party's platform. Abayomi noted the party would welcome serving lawmakers, former officials, and other politicians disappointed with their own parties' processes.
According to Abayomi, this strategy aims to reposition Ogun politically and deliver better leadership. "A state blessed with so many visionary leaders shouldn't face these preventable political crises," he told the gathering.
He reached out to both natives and residents to join APM's mission. Specifically, he invited APC members hurt by consensus arrangements to switch platforms before 2027.
Abayomi expressed optimism that APM would become a formidable political force in the state. He described it as a party "legally untethered from competing interests."
He urged Ogun residents to use their Permanent Voter Cards wisely. Come election time, he added, they should vote the ruling party out.
Babajide, the party's governorship hopeful, promised to create 150,000 jobs in his first four years. He presented what he called a people-focused agenda centered on economics, infrastructure, schools, healthcare, farming, and law and order.
His plan includes industrial clusters in Abeokuta, Sagamu, and Ota, he explained. Small business owners would benefit from grants and affordable credit lines under his administration.
"Creating 150,000 jobs in four years isn't just campaign talk," Babajide declared. "We have a strategic roadmap to deliver on this commitment."
Beyond jobs, he pledged massive road repairs and improved power supply across the state. Public schools would get upgrades, while mothers and children would access free healthcare services.
Security would improve through community policing and modern surveillance technology, he added. Ogun must reclaim its political standing and heritage, Babajide insisted.
He referenced the state's legendary figures—Obafemi Awolowo, MKO Abiola, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Wole Soyinka. "We cannot surrender this legacy to political invaders," he said firmly.
