A large gathering of All Progressives Congress (APC) youths and supporters welcomed the party’s Oyo State deputy governorship candidate, Adesoji Adedeji, during his grassroots engagement in Saki and Ogbomoso on Wednesday.
Adedeji, running alongside the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, used the engagements to outline policy priorities he said an APC administration would pursue if elected in the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.
The meetings, held at Saki City Hall and Soun Ogunlola Town Hall in Ogbomoso, were organised under the theme, “Building APC Youths for Electoral Success in Oyo State.”
They formed part of the party’s ongoing mobilisation and engagement activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At both venues, APC members and stakeholders discussed strategies for strengthening the party’s grassroots structures and increasing youth participation in its political activities.
Adedeji urged APC youths to play a more active role in grassroots mobilisation, while stressing the importance of building a party structure that extends beyond Ibadan.
He specifically identified Ogbomoso, Oyo, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun as important components of the state whose contributions, according to him, should be reflected in the party’s political and development strategies.
Using a forest as an analogy, Adedeji said the strength of the APC depended on collective action, stressing that “a single tree cannot make a forest.”
He also outlined areas he said would receive attention under the Alli-Adedeji ticket, including functional local government administration, workers’ welfare, education, youth development and investment.
Adedeji said education and youth development would be given priority because of their importance to human capital development and the state’s long-term growth.
On workers’ welfare, he pledged attention to the payment of salaries, allowances, gratuities and pensions, describing workers’ welfare as an important component of the proposed “Oyo AHEAD” agenda.
He also said an APC administration would intensify efforts to attract investors to the state to expand economic activity, create opportunities and improve residents’ welfare.
The priorities are consistent with previously stated positions by the APC governorship ticket, which has also identified infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture among areas it intends to prioritise if elected.
Adedeji, who was formally unveiled as Alli’s running mate in July, is a 46-year-old Economics graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and hails from Iwo-Ate in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Speaking at the Ogbomoso engagement, APC House of Representatives candidate for Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal Constituency, Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, commended the party’s leadership and youth members for their commitment.
Alao-Akala urged members to remain united and sustain mobilisation ahead of the elections.
APC Youth Leader, Remi Adepoju, assured the gathering that the youth wing was prepared to intensify its mobilisation activities, while appealing to party leaders to continue supporting young members.
Other speakers expressed support for the Alli-Adedeji ticket and called for stronger mobilisation across communities in the state.
Proceedings also featured a minute’s silence in honour of the late former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, followed by special prayers.
Among those present were Hon. Odedunmi Bunmi Olubukunmi, Hon. Glory Olalekan, Hon. Sayo Ifatoki, Alhaji Wasiu Olukan and Hon. Ajagbe Ibrahim, alongside other APC leaders, women leaders and members of the City Boys Movement.
During the Saki visit, Adedeji also paid a courtesy call on the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi.
