Ibarapa East 2026: 10 Wards Rally Support for Kuso, Send Message to Makinde
Residents accuse political leaders of sidelining grassroots; demand APM ticket for chairmanship aspirant
The political atmosphere in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State has taken a new turn as residents from the 10 wards rallied behind the chairmanship ambition of Hon. Abdul Akeem Akintola Kuso.
The residents, who gathered in their thousands at the Islamic High School, Eruwa, called on Governor Seyi Makinde and stakeholders of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) to consider Kuso for the party’s chairmanship ticket ahead of the 2026 local government election.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the residents to voice their grievances over what they described as years of political marginalisation and inadequate grassroots representation.
They appealed to the state leadership and the governor to communicate directly with the people and ensure that government programmes, appointments, opportunities and other benefits meant for the grassroots reach the actual beneficiaries.
The residents alleged that some individuals presenting themselves as leaders of Ibarapa East had allegedly turned political representation into a means of advancing personal interests.
They insisted that the people were now demanding a leadership structure that would be accountable directly to them rather than to a few political intermediaries.
The supporters described Kuso as a “policy man” and a selfless politician who, according to them, would not allow the interests of the people to be compromised.
They further urged Governor Makinde and APM stakeholders to disregard what they described as campaigns of blackmail against Kuso, maintaining that his alleged independence from political power brokers was one of the reasons he had attracted strong grassroots support.
The residents also alleged that certain political actors had created a closed political arrangement designed to control access to political opportunities in Ibarapa East.
They argued that Kuso represented a threat to such an arrangement because he would allegedly not surrender the interests of the people to political influence.
Speaking at the event, Akintola Emmanuel, a prominent politician from Ward 4, disclosed that he had previously withdrawn from the political structure because of what he described as the marginalisation of the people.
Emmanuel said he had moved thousands of his supporters away from the system but had now resolved to return them to the party and support Kuso.
He said his decision was informed by his conviction that Kuso would promote a people-centred administration if elected chairman.
Addressing the crowd, Kuso said he remained determined to pursue the chairmanship position, insisting that he was not interested in settling for any other political office.
He said the chairmanship would provide him with the platform to directly serve the people and confront the challenges facing the local government.
Kuso also recounted his political relationship with the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.
He alleged that he personally took Ogundoyin to Governor Makinde at a time when Ogundoyin was seeking political relevance, but expressed surprise that the Speaker later became involved in what he described as a conspiracy against him.
Despite the political disagreements, Kuso vowed to remain focused on his ambition and continue to defend what he described as the collective interest of the people of Ibarapa East.
The massive turnout at the gathering has further intensified attention on the race for the APM chairmanship ticket in Ibarapa East, with supporters insisting that the party should allow the grassroots to determine who represents them.