ABEOKUTA – The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ogun State, Prince Rotimi Babajide, has promised to place women and youths at the centre of his administration if elected governor in the 2027 general elections.
Babajide made the promise in Abeokuta on Thursday while addressing hundreds of party supporters at a town hall meeting organised by the party ahead of the election, saying his administration would run an inclusive and people-centred government where women and young people would have greater opportunities to participate in governance and benefit from government programmes.
The town planner said his government would ensure that government facilities and benefits were accessible to all residents, irrespective of their location or background, while also promoting equal access to education through digital tools for pupils in both public and private schools.
Babajide argued that the state has enormous economic potential and that his administration would harness its resources to create prosperity for the people.
The APM candidate also promised to revive agriculture and make the sector more attractive to young people, blaming rural-urban migration and the abandonment of farming for white-collar jobs for the decline in Nigeria’s agricultural system.
Babajide who also expressed concern over the level of poverty and hunger in the state, urged voters to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2027 elections, calling on residents to reject vote-buying and support the APM.
He said: “We are going to focus on our women, we are going to focus on our youths, we are going to have an inclusive government. This is a people-centric Ogun. This poverty is too much, this hunger is too much in the land, let’s vote out poverty, let’s vote out hunger. My administration will focus on women and youths and run an inclusive government that prioritizes the people.
“Every facility and government benefit will go down to everybody in Ogun State, We will ensure equality across all schools and communities. Ogun State is endowed with limestone and is now officially recognized as an oil-producing state, the state’s development plan is unquestionable and will bring prosperity.
“Ogun state has over three million registered voters right, vote out poverty, this poverty is too much, this hunger is too much in the land, let’s vote out poverty, let’s vote out hunger, let’s vote APM. We are going to focus on our women, we are gonna focus on our youths, we are going to have an inclusive government, this is a people centric Ogun.”
Babajide also lamented the collapse of Nigeria’s agricultural system, blaming rural-urban migration and the abandonment of farming for white collar jobs for the sector’s retrogression.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the party, Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu criticized the APC for spending billions of naira on political campaigns for governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives seats while neglecting basic needs of the people.
The Chairman lamented the development, querying why billions of naira would be wasted on campaigns for various elective positions.
“You are wasting billions of money to campaign to contest for governor, to contest for House of Rep, to contest for Senate. Why not provide basic amenities such as potable water for citizens? Give us good water.
Sanyaolu also cautioned voters against selling their votes for small amounts of money.
