The chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have received a boost following the return of one of the party’s prominent political figures, Dr Olusola Ayandele, to full political activities after about four years away from active politicking.
Ayandele, popularly known as Eruobodo in political circles, formally announced his return and declared his total support for the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the 2027 governorship ambition of the APC candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sarafadeen Alli.
Ayandele had discreetly withdrawn from active politics in the build-up to the 2023 general elections following his inability to secure the APC ticket to contest the Oyo South Senatorial District seat. He subsequently devoted more of his time to private business engagements.
However, at a colourful ceremony held at the Senator Sarafadeen Alli Campaign Office to welcome him back to full political activities, Ayandele explained that his decision to return was informed by his realisation that remaining inactive or indifferent at a critical period would amount to leaving a negative mark in the political history of the country.
According to him, President Tinubu has the capacity to consolidate on what he described as his achievements in office if given the opportunity to continue beyond 2027.
“An average reasonable person must know that President Tinubu has the capacity to consolidate on his achievements in office so far if he is given an opportunity to continue beyond 2027. Therefore, it would amount to foolishness to do anything rather than support his reelection bid,” Ayandele said.
He also reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC, stressing that his absence from active politics should not be interpreted as defection to another political party.
“APC is my natural home and today, I want to place on record that I never left for any other party. What happened was that I decided to take a break to enable me attend to some private business interests and today, I announce to the whole world that I have returned to full actions in APC,” he said.
The Ibarapa-born politician further disclosed that his return to active participation in APC affairs had been received with enthusiasm by his supporters and admirers across the state.
He said he and his supporters would work towards the electoral victory of all APC candidates in the January and February 2027 elections.
“In actual fact, my decision to reactivate my passion for active participation in APC activities has been greeted with great enthusiasm and joy by the teeming population of my supporters and admirers from all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“We shall all work for the electoral victory of all the candidates of the APC in the January and February 2027 polls. With the next few days, I will roll out my support packages for the APC and all our candidates because we are here for a serious business,” Ayandele stated.
Welcoming Ayandele back to active politics, the Oyo State Chairman of the APC, Chief Moses Adeyemo, urged candidates of other political parties to expect strong opposition from the APC in the 2027 elections.
Adeyemo declared that the APC would seek victory at the polls, arguing that the party stood tall among others and had quality candidates capable of serving the best interests of Nigerians.
The event was attended by prominent members and candidates of the Oyo State APC, including the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sarafadeen Alli; Deputy Governorship Candidate, Hon. Adesoji Adedeji; Oyo APC Secretary, Hon. Fatai Adesina; Treasurer, Alhaji Ajiboye Akinsanya; Youth Leader, Comrade Olalekan Oladejo; BSA Campaign Director-General, Hon. Yemi Aderibigbe; Deputy Director-General, Hon. Sola Ogunbode; among others.
Ayandele’s return brings back into active APC politics a figure who had been away from the party’s frontline activities for about four years, while his declaration of support for President Tinubu and Senator Alli adds another political development to the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
