2027: Why I joined APC — Oyo political bigwig, AKK, breaks silence

Oyo-based political figure, Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem, popularly known as AKK, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections, citing alignment of ideals and a desire to contribute meaningfully to governance as key motivations for the move.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, AKK explained that the decision followed extensive consultations and personal reflection.

He noted that the APC’s vision for governance, with its emphasis on economic diversification and infrastructure development, closely reflects the views he has long advocated in his public writings and political engagements, describing his entry into the APC as a deliberate step towards actualising a shared vision for progress in Oyo State.

While acknowledging the challenges facing the party at the federal level, he maintained that these do not undermine its potential to deliver impactful governance.

AKK also said his official entry into the APC would be celebrated with a grand rally on Tuesday, 3rd June 2025, as members of the Aseyori Support Group (ASG) are expected to join him in large numbers, marching from the AKK House to the party’s state secretariat in Oke Ado, Ibadan, to show their support.

He further emphasised his readiness to abide by the party’s structure and to contribute both his influence and the widespread support he commands across Oyo State to the APC’s objectives.

According to him, his defection signifies a merger between personal vision and a broader political framework aimed at driving reforms and development in the state.

He, however, reiterated his commitment to prioritising the welfare of the people of Oyo State, stressing that his move to the APC is a strategic partnership geared towards delivering practical results and ensuring governance that responds to the needs of the people.

The statement reads:

“This is a decision crystallised to define an important step in a journey long dedicated to the service of the people. After wider consultation across board and much reflection, I, Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem, wish to announce my entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party whose programs align with the ideals articulated in my writings over the past months.

“This is not a leap taken lightly but a deliberate alignment with a platform that, despite its imperfections, offers a framework to pursue sustainable progress and growth in the affairs of the people. The APC’s vision, however tested, I believe mirrors my own: a commitment to governance that uplifts, unites, and innovates. My entry will not just be a membership; it is a pledge to amplify these shared aspirations in the interest of the good people of Oyo State.

“As I have previously opined in one of my earlier writings, political parties are not mere vehicles for power; they are ecosystems for ideas to take root and have solutions bloom—or wither, if neglected. The APC has championed initiatives like economic diversification and infrastructure renewal, echoes of which can be traced in my past calls for transformative leadership.

“Yes, the party grapples with challenges at the federal level—economic strains, public discontent, among others, are no secrets—yet these are not indictments of intent, but rather tests of resolve. I join not to gloss over these hurdles but to lend my voice and wit to their resolution. Nation-building demands collaboration, and the APC, I believe, with its vast network, offers a stage to turn rhetoric into remedy.

“Again, there will be a grand entry into the APC, which will be no quiet affair. God willing, on Tuesday, 3rd June 2025, thousands of Aseyori Support Group (ASG) members will be dressed in astonishing Ankara, vests, and white or green dress, moving in unison from the AKK House to the APC Oyo State Secretariat in Oke Ado, Ibadan. It will be a spectacle of solidarity, an affirmation of the collective spirit that has always fuelled my mission to lead our dear state.

“Over the past months, I’ve worked and coordinated to have many loyal combatants as my shield—our supporters are drawn from every corner of Oyo State and share in my vision. They are beyond numbers in the six geopolitical zones; they are the heartbeat of a movement that sees progress as a collective pursuit.

“Throughout my adulthood, I have built a truth as my ideology—I am aware that rules are the spine of any social order. Political parties, like the APC, thrive on this reality with the belief that structure breeds strength. I am coming into this fold ready to abide by its code and progressive ideology, bringing not just compliance but a spark to its engine.

“I am convinced that my popularity and the trust I’ve earned from the people aren’t trinkets to flaunt—they’re tools to hoist the APC’s cause higher, both in Oyo State and across Nigeria. With my ASG’s full-of-life supporters—steadfast, spirited, and legion—I’ll fuse my reach with the party’s mission and turn vision into victories.

“The focus remains razor-sharp; the good people of Oyo State are the centrepiece of this journey. They’re why I’m here, why I’ve pledged reforms to lift their lives—jobs, roads, dignity—and I can’t steer that ship solo. A political party is the hull, and I’m subscribing myself beneath APC’s canopy to sail these promises home.

“We can, together, push for growth and progress for our dear state, institute a pact with the people, sealed by action, powered by unity, and crowned by results. This is a call to readiness—not only for ASG members or the people of Oyo, but for anyone who believes that governance can be more than optics. My arrival into the APC is a bridge between past promises and future possibilities—a fusion of ideology and action.

“The party’s history, from its 2015 triumph to its current trials, teaches that power without purpose is hollow; I aim to infuse it with both. On Tuesday, 3rd June 2025, when we march from AKK House to Oke Ado, we carry more than the AKK emblem—we represent a vision of a state, and indeed a nation, where every headache is a collective one, and every solution is a victory shared together in the progressive folds. The APC is my new home, and together, we will build something worthy of the name ‘progress.’ Please join me on this journey. Thank you so much.”