By: Manoah Kikekon
OJO, LAGOS – Nigeria’s political chessboard is witnessing a dramatic reshuffle as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) officially unveiled its full suite of candidates for the 2027 general elections in a high-energy ceremony at Ojo Local Government Area. The event, which drew a crowd of enthusiastic supporters and political defectors, signaled the party’s intent to challenge established giants, coinciding with the surging momentum of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidency.
In a move that caught many political observers off guard, the APM presented Laja Adeoye as its consensus flagbearer for the Lagos State Governorship seat. Simultaneously, the party solidified its legislative ambitions by unveiling Akogun-Abudu Akinlola Olumayowa, a former Labour Party chairmanship candidate, as its flagbearer for the Ojo Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat.
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| Akogun-Abudu Akinlola Olumayowa |
Olumayowa’s defection from the Labour Party to clinch the APM ticket is being hailed as a major coup for the rising party. Speaking to a rapt audience, the newly minted Reps candidate emphasized his grassroots loyalty over political ambition.
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| Laja Adeoye |
“This is not about changing parties for personal gain; it is about changing the narrative of representation in Ojo,” Olumayowa declared. “The APM has offered a platform where the people’s voice comes before party hierarchy. I am not here to experiment; I am here to liberate Ojo Federal Constituency from the grip of distant politicians.”
The event also saw Hon. Olalekan Yusuf Akinpelu secure the party’s ticket for the Ojo Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, former Labour Party Councillorship candidate for Ward K Iba LCDA. AMP Party elders described the trio as "credible, battle-tested, and deeply rooted in community development."
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| Hon. Olalekan Yusuf Akinpelu |
While the unveiling of local candidates provided the spark, the electricity in the air was fueled by the party’s growing national profile. Political analysts suggest that the APM is rapidly transforming into the "Third Force" in the Southwest, largely due to its adoption of Governor Seyi Makinde as its consensus presidential candidate for 2027.
Governor Makinde, who was not physically present but was represented by senior party liaisons, is reportedly spearheading a massive realignment of opposition political structures across the region. Following his pragmatic fallout with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership, Makinde appears to be leveraging the APM’s ballot structure to build a formidable coalition.
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| Seyi Makinde |
A senior APM chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy, revealed the scale of the movement.
"Governor Makinde is not just a candidate; he is a movement. Since we flagged off the ‘Makinde for President’ project, we have seen an unprecedented influx of former PDP and Labour Party stalwarts in Ogun, Osun, and Lagos," the source said. "The people of the Southwest are tired of being marginalized in the presidential power-sharing formula. With Makinde on our ticket, the APM has become the home for strategic progressives in 2027."
The political calculation for the APM in Lagos is clear: use the wave of Makinde’s presidential appeal to anchor down-ballot victories. For the Ojo Federal Constituency, Olumayowa’s candidacy poses a direct threat to the incumbent, promising a shift from "ceremonial representation" to aggressive legislative action.
Party members celebrated the inauguration of the newly elected APM executives in Ojo, describing it as the formal burial of political apathy in the area. As the 2027 election cycle heats up, the APM is betting that the combination of a strong Southwest presidential candidate and hyper-local grassroots leaders will rewrite the electoral map of Lagos State.
With Makinde’s team already deep in consultation with political actors across the region, the APM has officially served notice: 2027 will not be business as usual.