Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has initiated moves to reconcile members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were aggrieved after losing the party’s recent primaries.
Abiodun announced the move on Monday in Ijebu-Ode during a meeting with APC leaders and stakeholders in the Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area.
The governor directed the immediate establishment of a reconciliation committee to engage affected members, address their concerns and ensure they continued to feel a sense of belonging within the party.
He said the initiative was important to strengthening the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that members who contested and lost the primaries remained valuable to the party.
“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.
Abiodun directed Chief Olu Okuboyejo to head the committee, with former Deputy Governor Yetunde Onanuga and state commissioners serving as members.
He also ordered the establishment of similar committees at ward and local government levels to ensure that aggrieved members were reached and included in the reconciliation process.
“We must reach out to them, give them a sense of belonging, assuage their concerns and ensure proper reconciliation. There is room for everybody,” the governor said.
Abiodun urged party leaders to focus on rebuilding the party’s membership ahead of the elections, saying those who had become aggrieved should be encouraged to return while new members from opposition parties should also be welcomed.
“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 called on APC members to focus on issue-based campaigns, citing the party’s record of performance at the state and federal levels.
He claimed that his administration had grown Ogun State’s economy to about N17 trillion, while internally generated revenue had increased to N250 billion and was projected to reach N300 billion before the end of the year.
Abiodun described the meeting as the formal commencement of his political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections and thanked residents of Ijebu-Ode for their support for the APC during the 2019 and 2023 elections.
He also assured the people of continued investment in infrastructure and the delivery of more development projects to the area.
The Director-General of the Campaign Committee, Senator Lekan Mustapha, said Ijebu-Ode, as the headquarters of Ogun East Senatorial District, had a significant number of voters who would be important to the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the elections.
Mustapha noted that the local government had 161 polling units and stressed the need for effective mobilisation across the units.
Abiodun later held similar meetings with APC leaders and executives in Ijebu-North East and Odogbolu Local Government Areas as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
