APM, Osun people ‘ll will resist attempts to use state resources to buy second term

In six months’ time, Osun State will be going to the polls to decide who governs the state for another four years. The candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement(APM), Adewale Adebayo,  speaks with TOBA ADEDEJI. Excerpts.

WHAT are you doing to make sure that your relatively unpopular party gains good strength ahead of the 2026 election?

It is laughable to say our party is not popular. APM is the future of Nigeria, you know why? 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 expecting a different result.

PDP is dead in Osun State; they can’t even be on the ballot for the 2026 gubernatorial poll. The Accord Party, which the incumbent governor ran to, does not have the structure, because this is the first time they will actively involve themselves in election matters in Osun State.

In the case of the APC, the party is still struggling in the state despite having loads of politicians who defected into the party, but our party is rising every day.

During the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) that was done in Osun State, a lot of youths were 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 the Bola Ige House; nothing can stop it. Vote-buying, violence, and 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 your so-called popular parties who are aggrieved or not pleased with their parties are in talks with us, and they will work with us.

But with the current situation in Osun presently, don’t you think your party has a very slim chance of making any significant impression?

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. Nigerians 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 the APC.

The structures of these big parties are collapsing every day, 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 a 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,” I smile. Osun people are no longer impressed by titles or frequent defections. Many of these big names have moved from party to party without delivering corresponding value to the people. Politics has evolved. The electorate is asking different questions now, which 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.

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So no, 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 were the erstwhile chairman of the APM in Osun before you emerged 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. The journey for me to emerge as the gubernatorial candidate of my party did not start with me, but the decision of my party, APM, both at the national and state levels.

They saw potential in me, and it informed their decision to push me forward. Remember that I emerged as a consensus candidate of the party, with no opposition within. I was nominated, and I was given the chance to represent them. This is what is called capacity! They saw the capacity, and they are confident that I will govern well. They also promised me that they will work tirelessly to ensure my emergence on August 8th 2026.

Let me also remind you of my journey to become the APM chairman. I emerged at a time when the party needed structure, direction, and credibility in Osun State, which I am still building on till today.

So, why is governance the next step?

Because leadership must progress from organising to executing. Party administration prepares you for elections; governance prepares you for impact. After years of engaging policy issues, mobilising across party lines, and objectively criticising governments when they get it wrong, it would be irresponsible to stop at commentary. At some point, you must be willing to take responsibility for implementation.

Osun does not need another experimental governor. It needs someone who has organised, negotiated, challenged power, and understands politics beyond elections. That is why this is not just my next target; it is the right next step.

APC and PDP have been tried since the democratic dispensation started in Osun, and people know their strengths and weaknesses. The APM has no history of forming government at any level or state. Do you think people will trust your party?

Will your party indulge in vote-buying?

Never! We cannot do that. I have said it in different fora that

the APM is confident that Osun people would not be fooled by inducements or propaganda ahead of the next election. I want it on record: APM and the people of Osun will resist every attempt to use state resources to buy a second term. Osun is not a cash cow. Osun deserves real development, not decorative bridges.

The fall of one city is the rise of another. If the two parties have fallen, then the APM is the best in line. Osun people know their strengths and their weaknesses, as you said, they know our own vision, which is stronger than the selling points of these major parties.

When a product has been tested repeatedly and continues to disappoint, the market naturally looks for an alternative. The APM is that alternative.

Indeed, the APM has not formed a government before, and I do not run away from that fact. But let us be honest with ourselves, lack of a governing history is not a weakness in today’s Osun; it is an advantage. It means we are not burdened by broken promises, failed policies, or excuses from the past. We are coming with a clean slate and clear intentions.

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Now, about a “unique selling point”—for me, the real question is not about party history, but about leadership credibility. Parties do not govern; people do. The Osun electorate is not voting for a logo; they are voting for a mindset, a set of values, and a leader they can trust. So, why should Osun trust us? Because we are offering something different, not noise, not recycled politician…but competence, honesty, and accountability.

You are a real estate developer. What motivated you to seek this office?

I have told you my motive in the questions you have asked, and even told you that behind my motive is the motivation of my party men and women who pushed me forward to liberate the state from all oppression and failed promises from politicians from the ‘big party'(laugh).

Osun State is too important to be managed on autopilot. This election is not about ambition; it is about responsibility. I am seeking this office because I have spent years studying how systems work both in the private sector and in public policy. I am in the business world, and I understand how things work. I have undergone several training on policies and legislation, hence I am convinced that Osun can be run better with discipline, clarity, and vision.

Osun is at a crossroads. The state is young in population but old in leadership thinking. We have energy everywhere—youths, ideas, talent—but governance has not been structured to convert that energy into productivity. This election will decide whether Osun continues to drift or finally aligns its resources with its realities.

I come into this race with practical experience. I am a former banker; I understand numbers, risk, cash flow, and accountability. I am also an estate developer; I understand land use, infrastructure, housing, and how policy directly affects investment and job creation. When I look at Osun, I do not see abstract problems—I see inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and systems that can be fixed.

Being a youth matters in this conversation. Not because of age alone, but because perspective matters. My generation is not interested in excuses; we are interested in outcomes. We are not emotionally attached to old political habits; we are focused on what works. Osun needs leadership that understands both the pain of the present and the demands of the future.

What is your party’s plan towards the 2026 Osun guber election?

Our plan for the 2026 Osun governorship election is simple, focused, and rooted in reality. We are not treating this as just another campaign; we are treating it as a movement.

First, groundwork comes before noise. We are building functional, accountable structures at every ward and polling unit. Elections in Osun are won at the grassroots, not just on television. That’s where the APM is putting its energy.

Second, we will educate people on why they should resist inducement from the big-for-nothing political parties, but they should decide on APM, whose agenda is to create jobs, fiscal discipline, infrastructure across the state, housing, and youth empowerment.

Also, youth engagement is at the heart of our strategy. Osun is young, vibrant, and ready for change. We are mobilising first-time voters, educating them, including them, and making them real stakeholders—not just campaign props.

I told you before that the aggrieved party men and women from the big parties are joining us, so we are forming alliances every day, which will pave the way for our party.

What efforts are you making to make the party contest favourably with the PDP, APC and Accord Party, the incumbent governor’s new party?

I told you that PDP is dead, they won’t be on the ballot, the Accord Party is struggling, it has even made the incumbent governor unpopular, and the APC has not embraced the reality that people do not want them any longer.

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We are approaching this strategically, not rhetorically. To compete favourably with these situations at hand, we are building a party that is alive on the ground, ward by ward, polling unit by polling unit. Elections in Osun are not won on paper; they are won where people live, work, and gather, and that is where APM is focusing.

We are also running a policy-driven, issue-based campaign. While others rely on recycled promises, we are speaking directly to what matters: jobs, infrastructure, youth empowerment, fiscal discipline, and inclusive governance. That is what voters are listening to, not just names on a ballot.

Youth mobilisation is central. Osun is young, energetic, and politically conscious. We have been engaging first-time voters, educating them, and making them active participants in the political process. They are not a side effort—they are the engine of this campaign.

Finally, we are building broad, principled alliances without compromising our identity. People who are disillusioned by the old parties or left behind in their structures are joining the conversation with us.

APM is contesting to win hearts, minds, and votes. We are ready to compete on ideas, credibility, and results, and that is why Osun people will see us as a serious alternative to others.