On November 16, 2024, Ogun State will witness what can only be described as a political masterclass, led by the All Progressives Congress (APC). With its well-oiled campaign machine whirring through every nook and cranny of the state, the APC has established itself as the unchallenged giant in this election—a conclusion so obvious that one wonders if the opposition has even noticed an election is taking place at all.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, who has spent the last five years reworking Ogun’s social and economic landscape, might as well have pulled out a lawn chair and a glass of lemonade as he watches the opposition scramble in courtrooms rather than on the campaign trail. Governor Abiodun and his administration have paved roads, renovated schools, and improved healthcare facilities, all while quietly waiting for the opposition to catch up to this level of tangible governance. But instead, they appear to be locked in an endless saga of court cases and factional spats. While the APC strides ahead, opposition parties are so busy suing each other that they might forget to sue for votes.
“With the quality of candidates our party is presenting in the forthcoming local government election in the state, APC remains the party to beat; we have assiduously and consistently made remarkable impacts in the life of our people, and this is indeed our selling point,” declared Governor Abiodun confidently. And why shouldn’t he be confident? When you’ve “intimidated” the opposition by simply rolling out functional infrastructure and maintaining a stable political climate, there’s little left for opponents to counter. Intimidation through clean governance? Now, that’s a strategy worth emulating!
The governor did have a few words of encouragement for the APC faithful, reminding them to maintain unity and stay on the ground in these last moments of the campaign. “It is now incumbent on every APC member across the 20 Local Government Areas to sustain the enviable feats our party has recorded in the last five years by showing more commitment and working in unison for the victory of our party come November 16,” Abiodun said. Indeed, while the APC has ensured that every vote counts, the opposition has been busy counting its own divisions.
For the opposition, “grassroots outreach” appears to have been rebranded as “courtroom outreach.” While APC members crisscross the 20 local government areas, meeting with voters and touting five years of real progress, the opposition seems content to live out a law-firm fantasy, as if voters are wooed by court cases rather than campaign promises. With such dedication to litigation, perhaps they should consider a rebrand as the “Association of Prolonged Courtship”—where court time takes precedence over campaign time.
And let’s not forget the people of Ogun State. They, too, have watched these proceedings unfold with no small degree of amusement. They see the APC presenting real candidates with real plans for the future while the opposition alternates between finger-pointing and paperwork. One voter quipped, “I haven’t seen the opposition at my door once, but I hear they’ve shown up in court nearly every day! I guess that’s where they think our votes are.” In the meantime, Governor Abiodun’s campaign message is crystal clear: with a track record as solid as the freshly-paved roads, there’s little room left for political theater.
As the November 16 election approaches, the APC’s drumbeat grows louder, and the opposition’s internal dissonance sounds increasingly like background noise. APC’s campaign, built on achievements and a unified front, is as vibrant as a festival, while the opposition party is stuck in an unending legal tango, with each faction leading in a different direction.
So, here we stand. In a few days, Ogun’s voters will file out, likely to a ballot box as empty of opposition options as the courtrooms will be full of them. The APC is set to sweep through with a victory that’s as much about competence as it is about comedy. For while the opposition parties busy themselves drafting lawsuits, the APC has drafted a plan to drive the state forward. And when the final vote is cast, Ogun State will have chosen the party that showed up for the people, not the party that showed up to court.
Tayo Mabeweje
Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State
