Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections, directing members to immediately commence consultations and grassroots mobilisation across the state.
Abiodun, who chairs the campaign council, gave the directive during the inauguration ceremony in Abeokuta, charging members to translate the structure of the council into effective political engagement across Ogun State.
The governor said the inauguration marked a new phase in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, stressing that the party must begin its engagement with voters early and sustain the process across the state’s 20 local government areas, 236 wards and polling units.
He directed the campaign council to hold its inaugural meeting immediately and commence consultations and campaign activities without delay.
“Let consultations and campaign now begin,” Abiodun declared.
According to him, electoral victory cannot be secured merely through political reputation or the size of campaign rallies, but requires deliberate planning, organisation, vigilance and sustained engagement with the electorate.
He described the preparation required for the 2027 elections as “scientific, deliberate and intentional,” urging members of the council to approach their responsibilities with seriousness and discipline.
“Our campaign must be based on ideas, achievements and a credible vision. We must reach every Local Government Area, ward, polling unit and community,” he said.
Abiodun charged members to take the APC’s message to markets, farms, workplaces, religious communities, professional associations, neighbourhoods and homes, while also listening to the concerns and expectations of the people.
The governor said the campaign council was structured to coordinate the party’s activities across the state and work for the success of all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Those to be supported by the campaign organisation include President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, his running mate, Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun, as well as APC candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.
The council comprises party leaders, strategists, professionals and grassroots organisers drawn from the three senatorial districts, with committees responsible for strategy, mobilisation, reconciliation, finance, security, media, youth and women engagement, welfare, transportation, digital communication, protocol, and traditional and religious affairs.
Abiodun cautioned members against viewing their appointments as mere positions, stressing that the responsibilities attached to the campaign council required commitment and humility.
“These appointments are not decorative titles. They are instruments of service and responsibility,” he said.
He also urged the campaign organisation to communicate the achievements of his administration effectively, particularly in infrastructure, education, agriculture, healthcare, security, investment promotion and social intervention.
The governor identified the Gateway International Airport as a key component of his administration’s vision for an integrated aviation, agriculture, industrial and logistics hub in Ogun, while noting other interventions aimed at improving the state’s business environment.
“These are not abstract promises. They are visible on our roads, in our schools and hospitals, in our agricultural communities and in businesses expanding across our state,” he said.
Abiodun warned that achievements could be misunderstood if they were not properly communicated, urging campaign officials to respond to misinformation with facts and clarity.
“Good work that is not effectively explained may be misunderstood, while falsehood repeated without challenge may begin to appear credible,” he said.
The governor further called for unity and discipline within the APC, urging members to place the collective interest of the party above individual differences.
“Unity is not the absence of differences. It is the wisdom to ensure that our differences do not become greater than our common cause,” he said.
He directed the campaign organisation to operate as a coordinated political structure, with its leaders providing direction, committees implementing strategy and grassroots structures sustaining engagement with voters.
Abiodun also warned against factionalism, indiscipline and sabotage, calling for early identification and resolution of challenges that could affect the campaign.
The APC governorship candidate, Adeola, in his remarks, urged party members to regard the 2027 election as a collective responsibility.
He assured members who were not included in the campaign council that they remained part of the party’s mobilisation structure, explaining that the council was created to provide coordination and direction rather than exclude other members.
Adeola called for sustained consultations at the grassroots and urged APC members to work collectively for the success of all the party’s candidates.
Earlier, former Ogun State Governor and APC National Leader, Chief Olusegun Osoba, appealed to members to close ranks and work together for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Osoba urged aggrieved members to “shield their swords” and put the interest of the party above personal grievances.
At the ceremony, Abiodun formally declared the campaign council inaugurated and charged its members to commence work immediately.
“Let us speak with one voice, work with one purpose and march in one direction,” the governor said.
