LG Polls: Oyo APM Excos Meet In Olopoeyan’s House • Makinde’s Candidates Are Illegal

The crisis rocking the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State over its candidates for the forthcoming local government elections deepened on Wednesday as party leader, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan, met with local government and ward chairmen.

The meeting held at his residence in Bashorun, Ibadan was attended by APM local government chairmen and some ward chairmen, while a ‘representative’ of the party chairman, Hon. Adejumo, was also present.

Speaking at the meeting, Olopoeyan insisted that the candidates who emerged from the party’s earlier primary election remained the legitimate candidates of the APM, saying the party would not accept any attempt to replace them.

“We did primary election for chairman, everybody signed but Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, denied receiving our candidate list due to power from above. We are still in court. Let’s expect verdict,” Olopoeyan said.

He maintained that the party conducted its primary and that those who emerged should not be denied their mandates, urging members to remain hopeful as they await the court’s decision.

“But we won’t agree. Olopoeyan won’t agree. We did primary and emerged. We won’t be robbed. It’s not yet time to talk. We believe that God will make us victorious,” he added.

Olopoeyan also reminded the party leaders that they emerged through the APM congresses, saying the party remained the political platform through which they were operating despite the political developments surrounding the party.

The representative of the party chairman, Hon. Adejumo, described the physical gathering as important, saying it provided an opportunity to update party leaders on developments within the party, accusing some political interests of attempting to “use and dump” party members.

He further described Olopoeyan as a leader who values loyal party members and wants them rewarded for their commitment rather than being used and subsequently abandoned.

The latest development comes amid a legal battle over the APM’s local government candidates.

OYO INSIGHT had reported that Thirty-two chairmanship candidates who emerged from the party’s August 3, 2026 primaries have approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan over reports of plans for fresh primaries.

The plaintiffs are challenging the possibility of OYSIEC accepting or recognising another set of APM candidates for the same positions after the commission monitored the August 3 exercise and are seeking the court’s intervention in the dispute.

The crisis has also produced rival camps within the party, with candidates reportedly associated with Olopoeyan emerging in competition with candidates linked to Governor Seyi Makinde.

With the matter still before the court, Olopoeyan’s latest comments indicate that his camp remains firm on the candidates produced by the earlier primary and is prepared to await the court’s verdict.