By Segun Olatunji
The atmosphere at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Kuto, Abeokuta, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, was electric as the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) officially inaugurated its 156-man Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections.
While the actual elections are a calendar flip away, the ruling APC in the Gateway State is leaving absolutely nothing to chance. By setting its campaign machinery into full motion, the party has fired a resounding warning shot to its political rivals. This early, aggressive rollout signals a highly coordinated statewide mobilisation designed to iron out internal wrinkles, unite the party’s biggest heavyweights, and secure a total electoral sweep in next year’s governorship, presidential and legislative contests.
For a party known for its strategic foresight, last Thursday’s inauguration was less of a routine administrative event and more of a grand political festival. From as early as 8:30 a.m., the June 12 Cultural Centre venue was transformed into a sea of vibrant party colours. The chatter of eager delegates, the rhythmic drumming of local supporters, and the unmistakable buzz of high-stakes politics filled the morning air inside the massive auditorium.
United House: Galaxy of Heavyweights
What makes this newly minted APC Campaign Council particularly formidable is its sheer political weight and the intentional unity crafted into its structure. In Nigerian politics, managing the egos and competing interests of former leaders is an art form. In Ogun State, the APC seems to have mastered it, assembling a dream team of the state’s most influential political giants under one roof.
The Council boasts a glittering hierarchy of patrons designed to bridge the party’s rich history with its future ambitions.
At the top echelon is the Grand Patron, the legendary former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, whose blessing carries immense historical weight. To give the necessary moral backing, the octogenarian politician was physically present at the event, where he
urged party members to close ranks, sheathe their swords and prioritise collective success ahead of next year’s elections.
Osoba appealed to aggrieved members to set aside personal grievances and present a united front, stressing that the interests of the APC must come first while assuring those who felt sidelined that their contributions would not be in vain.
The elder statesman further urged members to ensure the campaign council remains focused on its mandate of delivering victory for the party in 2027.
Next you have the Deputy Grand Patrons comprising former governors – Senator Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun. The inclusion of these two powerhouses is a massive strategic victory, effectively uniting their expansive, deeply rooted grassroots networks behind a single purpose.
The Council’s Chairman is the incumbent Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who will steer the executive direction of the APC campaigns.
Abiodun charged members to begin immediate grassroots consultations, sustain voter engagement and mobilisation across the state’s 20 local government areas, 236 wards and polling units.
He stated that victory required scientific and deliberate preparation rather than last-minute effort.
The Governor warned members against factionalism and internal sabotage, noting that appointments to the council were instruments of service and responsibility, and not decorative titles.
Underscoring his assertion, he stated, “Unity is not the absence of differences. It is the wisdom to ensure that our differences do not become greater than our common cause.”
Behind Governor Abiodun is the Campaign Council’s Director-General, Senator Olalekan Mustapha – an experienced hand saddled with the task of driving the day-to-day operations of the party’s machinery.
The APC governorship candidate himself, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, is the Co-Chairman & Deputy Director-General (Ogun West). His prominent role establishes a clear thread of continuity between the current administration and the party’s upcoming 2027 governorship bid.
Speaking at the event, Senator Adeola described victory in next year’s general elections as a collective duty, reassuring those not named to formal positions that they remain integral to ward-level mobilisation.
By mobilising early, the party allows its various committees ample time to iron out logistics, build rapport within local communities and absorb feedback from the public. It ensures that when the official campaign season reaches its peak next year, the Ogun APC will not be introducing its candidates or scrambling for structure; they will already be a well-oiled machine operating at maximum capacity
The APC governorship flagbearer, however, pledged an issue-based campaign focused on the party’s programmes and the Renewed Hope agenda.
He promised supporters and party members a decent campaign guided by decorous responses to political attacks by highlighting the party and his team’s achievements and development initiatives.
“As we begin our campaign, I promise that our people will have information on issues and projects that will better their lives and not frivolous issues that tend to damage the good image of our dear state. When they go low and under, we will continue to soar higher with our delivered benefits for our people,” Yayi said.
One significant point to note is that by bringing these key figures, administrators, media professionals, and grassroots operators onto a shared platform, the APC has effectively ironed out internal wrinkles, presenting an unbreakable, unified front.
Ground Game: The 20 Local Government Blitz
During the ceremony, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Yemi Sanusi, set a tone of disciplined focus. He reminded the inaugurated members that the fancy titles and applause in Abeokuta must immediately translate into hard work in the trenches at every nook and cranny of the state, particularly at the grassroots.
The strategy is clear: an exhaustive, grassroots-first campaign. The 156-man council is broken down into specialised committees tasked with taking the party’s message straight to the doorsteps of everyday citizens across all the 20 local government areas of the state. The council is structured to include party leaders, strategists, professionals and grassroots organisers drawn from the three senatorial districts. The specialised units will focus heavily on:
- Grassroots Mobilisation: Connecting directly with market associations, community leaders, and traditional institutions.
- Youth and Women Engagement: Tailoring economic and developmental messaging to the state’s largest voting demographics.
- Media and Publicity: Aggressively communicating the structural achievements, infrastructure projects, and long-term vision of the APC administration.
- Logistics, Contact, and Strategy: Ensuring seamless operations from the senatorial districts down to the smallest polling units
Sanusi in his address to the council, urged everyone to approach their duties with absolute discipline. Securing the confidence of the electorate, he noted, demands genuine engagement and sustained humility rather than complacency.
Setting Forth at Dawn
To the casual observer, launching a full-scale campaign council in September 2026 for a 2027 election might look like jumping the gun. However, inside the APC war room, it is viewed as a masterstroke of timing.
By mobilising early, the party allows its various committees ample time to iron out logistics, build rapport within local communities and absorb feedback from the public. It ensures that when the official campaign season reaches its peak next year, the Ogun APC will not be introducing its candidates or scrambling for structure; they will already be a well-oiled machine operating at maximum capacity.
Furthermore, this early rollout serves to solidify the transition plan. With Governor Abiodun’s tenure winding down, the presence of Senator Adeola Yayi at the forefront of the APC Campaign Council gives voters a preview of what continuity looks like. It tells the people of Ogun State that the infrastructure boom, educational reforms and industrial growth experienced over recent years will not grind to a halt. Rather, they will be supercharged under the next dispensation.
The Rallying Cry for Clean Sweeps
As the inauguration wrapped up, the message echoing out of the June 12 Cultural Centre was one of total electoral dominance. The leadership charged the council not just to win, but to secure an overwhelming, undeniable victory across the board—sweeping the presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly polls.
The energy leaving the hall last Thursday in Abeokuta suggested that the party faithful are more than ready for the challenge. As delegates and committee members depart the state capital to return to their respective local governments and wards, they carry with them a clear blueprint for victory.
The Ogun APC has officially moved past the phase of planning and speculation. The teams have been named, the leaders are united and the machinery is officially running. For the opposition parties in the Gateway State, the clock is ticking and the bar for 2027 has just been raised incredibly high.
. Olatunji, a Journalist, Political/Crisis Communication Strategist, writes from Ilaro, Ogun State
