Oyo APC Rejects December 2026 LG Poll, Vows Boycott
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced it will not take part in the local government election slated for December 26, 2026, describing the exercise as illegal, ill‑conceived and politically motivated.
The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) had originally set the poll for January 2027, but shifted the date after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the 2027 general election timetable.
Critics, including politicians inside and outside the state, have questioned the need for another election only six months before the current chairmen and councillors’ terms expire across the 33 LGAs and 351 wards.
In a statement released in Ibadan on Thursday, APC Publicity Secretary Olawale Sadare said the party would not only boycott the vote but would also collaborate with other stakeholders to halt what it calls a waste of public resources.
The APC alleges that the poll is a strategy to prolong Governor Seyi Makinde’s sway over local government administration beyond his tenure ending May 29, 2027.
The statement reads, “The whole world knows that Gov. Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy, and when it comes to grassroots democracy he cannot be trusted.”
It adds that the governor has “feasted on the resources of the 33 local government councils for over seven years,” and that residents are eager for the third tier of government to regain freedom once he leaves office.
The party claims Makinde is attempting to install loyal allies in council positions before departing, a move he could not sustain after the 2027 general elections, which would strip him of political power.
APC argues that Nigerians anticipate the full implementation of local government autonomy and accuses the governor of obstructing democratic governance at the grassroots.
The statement also links insecurity in some rural communities to what it describes as poor local government administration, citing bandit attacks in areas such as Ahoro Esiele and Yawota in Oriire LGA.
Questioning the management of local government funds, the APC notes that councils like Oriire receive over ₦550 million monthly from the Federal Government with little visible development, suggesting the money is held in joint accounts controlled by the governor’s office.
The party dismissed the 2020 and 2024 local government polls as fraudulent, declaring they would be the last such elections witnessed by the state’s residents.
APC warned OYSIEC against proceeding with preparations, calling the exercise a planned charade where results would be announced without a genuine vote, and impostors installed to divert public funds.
The statement urges PDP/APM members serving as OYSIEC officials to halt any plans for the premature poll or face consequences for enabling the waste of public funds and the desecration of democracy.
In conclusion, the APC maintains that the December election lacks legitimacy, insists that citizens demand genuine local government autonomy, and urges OYSIEC to cease all preparations for the poll.
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