The Oyo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress has stated that it would not participate in the local government election scheduled for December this year.
The party described the plans by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration to conduct another council poll six months to the expiration of the tenure of the current Chairmen and Councillors across the 33 local government Areas and 351 Wards in the state, as illegal, ill-conceived and self-serving, which would further worsen the current situation of things at the grassroots level.
Recall that the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission had earlier announced a date in January 2027 for the conduct of another local government poll in the state before it later adjusted the date to December 26, 2026, after the release of the schedule for the 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Political watchers, from within and outside Oyo state, have now queried the OYSIEC over the hastiness to conduct another election while the current council leaders still have six months to the expiration of their tenure.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC disclosed that it would not only boycott everything related to the planned poll but also join hands with other patriots and rational minds to prevent Governor Makinde from squandering taxpayers’ money on a script aimed at planting his stooges in the local government councils, after he must have exited the office as governor on May 29, 2027.
“The whole world knows that Gov. Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy and when it comes to democracy at the grassroots, he cannot be trusted for anything. He has feasted on the resources of the 33 local government councils in the state for over seven years and the people cannot wait for him to leave in May for the third tier of government to regain their freedom.
“The same Makinde is now trying to impose another set of lackeys who would be loyal to him even after leaving Agodi Government House and he knows he cannot do this after the conduct of the 2027 general elections which outcome would strip him of all political power and influence. The expectations of the people revolve around the fruition of the efforts by the Tinubu administration to liberate local government councils from governors like Engr. Makinde and the latest development is a pointer to the fact that he (Makinde) would not change from his bad ways by standing on the way of the people who deserve the best in terms of genuine democracy and good governance at the grassroots level.
“It is sad that Gov. Makinde wishes for the continuation of the system which exposed Ahoro Esiele and Yawota in Oriire local government area and other rural communities in the state to bandit attacks. Or how can one explain the situation whereby a local government council like Oriire receives over N550 million in monthly allocation from the federal government and there is nothing to show for it because a governor sits on the money in the name of Joint Account operation with his own office?
“The fraud called local government poll in 2020 and 2024 are the last which the good people of the state would witness. So, Gov. Makinde and his yes men should bury the thoughts of staging another charade wherein results would be announced without any election and some imposters would be put in office only to serve as instruments for the diversion of public funds.
“To this end, we urge those PDP/APM members who are being paraded as OYSIEC officials to halt every plan regarding the premature conduct of another local government council poll in December or be ready for the consequences of allowing themselves to be used for waste of public funds and desecration of democracy in the state.” APC said.
