By Our Reporter
The Allied People’s Movement (APM) in Oyo State have recorded a significant political boost ahead of the 2027 governorship election following a meeting involving prominent members of the APC structure linked to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu The Nigeria Times can report.
The development reportedly unfolded on Thursday when former Oyo State Commissioner for Finance under late governor Abiola Ajimobi Bimbo Adekanmbi who’s also the APM gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state, held a meeting with members of the Adelabu Mandate Group.
The meeting is said to have attracted political stakeholders and supporters associated with the minister’s political structure, amid growing realignments among politicians ahead of the 2027 elections.
The visit has fuelled speculation about possible movements and alignments within the Oyo political space as political actors begin to position themselves ahead of the next governorship contest.
Adekanmbi, a prominent political figure in the state and former aide within the administration of the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has remained an influential voice in Oyo politics.
His engagement with members of the Mandate Group is therefore being viewed by political observers as a development that could have implications for the evolving political equation in the state.
The Adelabu Mandate Group has over time served as a political platform for mobilising support around the minister and coordinating political activities among his loyalists and associates.
The latest meeting comes against the backdrop of heightened political manoeuvring across the state, with opposition parties and political blocs intensifying efforts to expand their structures ahead of 2027.
For the APM, attracting influential political actors and established grassroots structures could strengthen the party’s attempt to challenge the dominance of the major political parties in the state.
Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 Oyo governorship election, has also continued to consolidate his campaign structure, with a series of political engagements and appointments involving professionals and party stakeholders.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the meetings involving Adekanmbi, the Mandate Group and the Sanusi-led delegation had resulted in a formal defection or endorsement of the APM candidate.
The latest developments nevertheless point to an increasingly fluid political landscape in Oyo State, where alliances and political structures are being reshaped ahead of the 2027 contest.
With the election still ahead, more political movements and negotiations are expected as the major contenders intensify efforts to build formidable structures across the state.
