Former federal lawmaker and senatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in Oyo North, Hon. Shina Peller, has rallied candidates and key party leaders across the senatorial district as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Peller, who hosted a high-level strategic retreat in Iseyin, brought together APM candidates for the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, local government party chairmen, youth and women leaders, as well as other key political strategists from the 13 local government areas across Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso zones.
The strategic convergence was aimed at harmonising the party’s structures, synchronising campaign strategies and building a united political front capable of effectively engaging voters across Oyo North.
Addressing participants at the meeting, Peller, the Ayedero of Yorubaland, described the 2027 election as a historic opportunity for the people of Oyo North to elect representatives committed to accountable governance, development and effective representation.
He urged party candidates and executives to move beyond conventional campaign methods and adopt a grassroots-driven, voter-centred approach that would directly address the needs and aspirations of the people.
Peller said the objective of the party was not merely to win elections but to build a sustainable political movement anchored on development and inclusive governance.
“What we are building across Oyo North is not merely an electoral platform; it is a popular movement for genuine development and inclusive governance,” he said.
He stressed the importance of unity among all APM candidates, noting that the success of the party would depend largely on effective coordination between candidates contesting at the state, federal and senatorial levels.
“To deliver real progress for our people, every candidate, from the State House of Assembly to the Senate, must operate in complete harmony. Our strength lies in our collective structure, our shared vision and our unwavering commitment to the grassroots,” Peller added.
A major component of the meeting was the development of a coordinated operational framework to link the various campaigns with the broader APM structure in Oyo North.
The former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency from 2019 to 2023, also reiterated his commitment to promoting agricultural modernisation, youth empowerment and infrastructural development across Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso.
He maintained that Oyo North, despite its enormous agricultural potential and strategic importance to the state, required stronger legislative advocacy and greater attention at the federal level.
Peller said his legislative experience and national network would be deployed towards advancing policies and initiatives capable of unlocking the economic potential of the district and improving the welfare of its people.
In their separate remarks, party executives at the meeting commended Peller for convening the strategic session, describing it as an important step towards strengthening political coordination within the APM.
The local government party chairmen also pledged to intensify grassroots mobilisation and take the party’s message to wards, villages and polling units across the district.
They expressed optimism that the APM would provide a credible alternative to the existing political order, while promising to work with candidates and other stakeholders to build a formidable electoral structure.
The meeting assumes added significance as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly in Oyo North, where the senatorial contest is expected to attract considerable political attention.
With incumbent Senator Abdulfatai Buhari reportedly stepping aside from the senatorial contest to pursue executive ambitions, political stakeholders have intensified efforts to consolidate their respective positions ahead of the election.
Peller’s early mobilisation of candidates and party structures is therefore being viewed as part of a broader strategy to establish a coordinated APM presence across the district.
The strategic session ended with the adoption of a blueprint centred on voter engagement, youth and women mobilisation, polling-unit protection and sustained consultations with traditional rulers and community leaders.
With preparations for the 2027 elections gathering pace, the APM leadership in Oyo North said it remained committed to presenting a united, organised and grassroots-oriented platform capable of competing effectively at all levels.
