All Progressives Congress leaders in Akure South Local Government have urged the party's state and national leadership against imposing candidates in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. Following a meeting on Sunday, a communiqué signed by Mr Tony Ala, chairman of the group, and other APC leaders called for only credible, competent, and widely acceptable aspirants to emerge from the party's primaries. The leaders stressed that candidates must have strong grassroots connections and loyalty to the party, warning that unpopular picks have historically hurt electoral performance in the area. They specifically rejected the idea of automatic tickets for any aspirant in the Akure region.
The group endorsed Mr Oluwafemi Fadairo, a former aide to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for the Akure North/Akure South Federal House of Representatives seat, and Adeola Fynch, former Director of Administration to the Senate, for the Ondo State House of Assembly, Akure South Constituency I. They also declared support for an indigene of Akure to succeed Aiyedatiwa as governor, noting that the state capital has never produced a governor since Ondo State's creation in 1976. The communiqué praised Aiyedatiwa's inclusive governance and reaffirmed confidence in his leadership, while also expressing commitment to mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
The push for an Akure indigene to become governor gains weight given that no one from the community has held the office since 1976, despite past attempts like Eyitayo Jegede's two failed bids. With APC leaders in Akure South now formally backing this cause, the calculus for 2027 shifts — loyalty to Aiyedatiwa may hinge on whether the party treats Akure's claim as more than symbolic.
