2027: Makinde moves to consolidate APM’s South-West base

By Lateef Ibrahim

The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has stepped up preparations for the 2027 general elections, with its presidential candidate and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, meeting the party’s governorship candidates across the South-West.
The meeting, described as strategic, focused on strengthening the party’s grassroots structures and coordinating its electoral mobilization across the region.
Lagos State APM governorship candidate, Prince Laja Adeoye, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the meeting was aimed at consolidating the party’s presence ahead of the elections.
Those who participated included APM governorship candidates Bimbo Adekanmbi of Oyo State, Laja Adeoye of Lagos and Rotimi Babajide of Ogun, alongside the party’s candidate from Osun State.
According to Adeoye, the discussions centred on improving the party’s organizational structures, deepening grassroots engagement and developing a coordinated strategy for the six South-West states.
He identified Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo as key areas in the party’s electoral calculations, saying the APM intends to build them into “reliable strongholds” ahead of the 2027 polls.
The party also plans to extend its mobilization beyond the South-West as it seeks to establish a stronger national presence.
Makinde became the APM’s presidential candidate after emerging victorious at the party’s presidential primary in Ibadan.
While accepting the ticket, the governor pledged to focus on restoring public confidence and implementing practical reforms in critical sectors, including agriculture, oil and gas and the wider economy.
The latest meeting signals an effort by the APM leadership to translate Makinde’s emergence as its presidential candidate into a coordinated regional political structure ahead of the 2027 elections.