Adewale Adebayo is the gubernatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, (APM) in Osun state, the immediate past chairman of the party in the state and an ex-chairman of the Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC). In this interview with RUKIYAT OGUNWADE, he speaks about his ambition to become the next governor of the state, his plans, among other issues, excerpt:
OUR party is relatively unpopular. What are you doing to make change the narrative and get the needed support win elections?
It is laughable to say our party is not popular; APM is the future of Nigeria. The party is adopted by youths and the generations that have been failed by the so-called popular parties, APC and PDP. Nigerians are not seeing the future in these parties because only a fool will keep doing things the same way and expect a different result.
For Osun matter, no gainsaying, PDP is dead in the state; they can’t even be on the ballot for the 2026 gubernatorial poll. Accord Party, which the incumbent governor ran to, does not have the structure, because this is the first time they will be actively involved in election in Osun State. In the case of APC, the party is still struggling in the state despite that they have loads of politicians that defected into the party, but our party, is rising every day. The last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) that was done in Osun State, there was a lot of youths we mobilised for the exercise and I am sure that they will vote for our party massively ahead of your so-called popular parties.
The goal for 2026 is that APM is taking over Bola Ige House, nothing can stop it. Vote-buying, violence, inducement of any kind cannot stop me from becoming the next governor of Osun State. Let me leak one secret to you, some members of the so-called popular parties who are aggrieved or not pleased with their parties are in talks with us, they will work with us.
Don’t you think your party has a very slim chance of making any significant impression at the election, given the formidable structures of the bigger parties?
This is a false assumption or assertion, I hear that argument often, and I understand why it is made. I have said it earlier that the big parties as you have claimed are losing it every day. Nigeria have tasted both big parties, in fact one of them is technically dead, the other is like a fan that has lost its connection with electricity, you know it will still roll for a while before it’s finally stopped, which is APC.
The structures of these big parties are collapsing everyday and APM is gaining them more especially in Osun State, you know why, our party have been at the forefront of opposition, we gave both the past and present administration constructive criticism which made people see that our party will do things better if we are voted for. I can tell you for the fact that what wins elections is credibility, consistency, and connection with the people which we have maintained.
Let me put my own background on the table. I served two terms as Chairman of IPAC in Osun State, an umbrella body of all political parties. That role trained me to look beyond party lines and engage issues objectively. Over the years, I have criticised governments, past and present not out of bitterness, but out of principle. On several policy matters under the current Osun administration, my interventions were public, factual, and issue-driven. The people know this. They know I do not speak because it is convenient; I speak because it is necessary. So when people talk about “calibre of politicians,â€P I smile. Osun people are no longer impressed by titles or frequent defections. Many of these big names that have moved from party to party without delivering corresponding value to the people. Politics has evolved.
The electorate is asking different questions now which the both ’ big parties’ can answer. As for structure, let us be clear, APM’s structure is organic and growing daily, especially among young voters and politically conscious citizens who are tired of transactional politics. I do not believe our chances are slim. I believe we are facing a political transition. The so-called big parties are heavy, yes, but they are also burdened by baggage. APM is lighter, clearer in purpose, and aligned with the mood of the people. In politics, that combination is often more powerful than size.
You are formally the chairman of APM in Osun before your emergence as the gubernatorial candidate, why do you think that becoming the governor of the state should be your next target?
You have even helped me in answering this question because, in fact my previous answers also helped too. The journey for me to emerge as the gubernatorial candidate of my party does not start with me but the decision of my party, APM both at the national and state level.