Onijo faults Tinubu’s economic policies, backs Makinde for president
By Salam Saheed
The Allied People’s Party (APM) on Sunday took its campaign to the streets of Saki, Oyo State, as its chairmanship candidate for Saki West LGA, Hon. Sarafadeen Abiola Onijo, led a road walk to mobilise support for the party’s candidates ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The campaign walk, organised by Onijo on October 11, 2026, took the candidates, party leaders, women leaders and other stakeholders through strategic locations across the community, including Gbawojo Market, Ajegunle Junction, Sango area, Okere’s Palace, Isalefi and Isale Taba, among other areas.
The exercise was aimed at increasing the party’s visibility, sensitising residents to its candidates and mobilising grassroots support for the APM across the various elective positions.
Participants included the APM candidate for Saki West State Constituency, Hon. Salaudeen Kabir Adebayo; party women leaders at the ward level; ward chairmen; and other critical stakeholders.
During the post-walk address, Onijo explained that the exercise was designed to take the party’s message directly to the people, particularly traders, artisans, commercial operators, youths and other residents whose votes would be crucial in determining the outcome of the forthcoming elections.
He said the road walk was also intended to familiarise residents with the party’s candidates across the different levels of government and encourage them to support the APM at the polls.
The legal Icon listed the candidates as Governor Seyi Makinde for president, Hon. Bimbo Adekanbi for governor, Hon. Shina Peller for the Oyo North Senatorial District, Hon. Adeniyi Adebisi for the House of Representatives, Hon. Salaudeen Kabir Adebayo for the State House of Assembly and himself for the Saki West LG chairmanship.
He urged party members and supporters to intensify their grassroots mobilisation efforts, stressing the need for residents to understand the candidates and the party’s political agenda before making their electoral choices.
The chairmanship candidate described Makinde as the last hope of the common man, arguing that the governor’s political ambition represented an opportunity to address the economic difficulties confronting ordinary Nigerians.
He criticised the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the subsequent increase in the pump price of petrol, which he said had worsened the financial pressure on households and businesses.
According to him, the rising cost of living has made it increasingly difficult for many Nigerians to meet their basic needs, including feeding their families.
Onijo maintained that the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had imposed considerable hardship on the masses, insisting that the situation required a change in political direction.
He therefore urged residents to support Makinde’s presidential ambition, describing a vote for the Oyo State governor as a vote for good governance and policies he believes would better address the needs of ordinary citizens.
He also called for continuity in Oyo State, arguing that sustaining the state’s existing development efforts was important to its future progress.
The road walk formed part of the party’s grassroots campaign strategy to strengthen its presence in Saki West, engage residents directly and consolidate support for its candidates ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The exercise also provided an opportunity for party leaders and supporters to interact with residents along the campaign route, distribute campaign messages and encourage greater participation in the electoral process.