By Tunde Igbasanmi
Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency of Ondo State have urged the party to prioritise candidates with strong grassroots support and proven electoral appeal ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appeal was made during the APC Grassroots Engagement Network's voter education and grassroots mobilisation outreach held in Okitipupa Local Government Area.
The stakeholders said the party's candidate selection process should focus on aspirants capable of attracting widespread support and strengthening the APC's electoral fortunes.
They said the recently concluded Ondo South Senatorial bye-election highlighted the need for improved voter mobilisation despite the APC's victory.
According to the group, figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that only 70,811 of the 672,302 registered voters were accredited, representing a turnout of 10.5 per cent, while the APC secured 68,474 votes.
The stakeholders maintained that although the APC remains the dominant political party in the state, greater efforts must be directed at increasing voter participation to ensure President Bola Tinubu records a stronger showing in the 2027 presidential election than he did in 2023.
They recalled that Tinubu polled 106,052 votes in Ondo South during the 2023 presidential election, while the APC's senatorial candidate, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, garnered 110,665 votes, describing the figures as evidence of the party's electoral strength when grassroots mobilisation is effective.
The forum stressed that electoral victories should not rest solely on candidates, noting that party leaders, elected officials, political appointees and grassroots structures all have critical roles to play in mobilising supporters and boosting voter turnout.
The stakeholders also identified High Chief Dele Omosehin as one of the party figures with widespread acceptance across Okitipupa/Irele, saying his sustained grassroots engagement had earned him considerable goodwill.
They urged the APC to give priority to aspirants with demonstrated popularity, credibility and the capacity to unite members and attract undecided voters.
They further called on President Bola Tinubu, the APC National Working Committee and the party leadership to ensure that candidates presented for the 2027 elections possess the capacity to deliver overwhelming victories for the party.
The forum also reaffirmed its commitment to working with APC-GEN to intensify voter education, strengthen polling unit structures and deepen grassroots mobilisation across Ondo State.
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