The wife of the Oluyole Federal Constituency House of Representatives candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Hajia Balkis Olatunji, has led women group and supporters of the party on a two-day grassroots mobilisation campaign across major markets, motor parks and communities in the constituency.
The campaign, which was designed to take the APM’s message directly to the people, saw Hajia Balkis, popularly regarded as the First Lady of Oluyole, and other women leaders engage traders, transport workers, residents and community stakeholders in various parts of the constituency.
On the first day, the women campaigners covered the Olode axis, visiting the Muslim Market, Pegba Market, Ayetoro Market, Academy Motor Park, Olomi Market, Olunde Market, Ayegun Market, Boluwaji Motor Park and the Sanyo area.
The campaign continued on the second day across the Idi-Ayunre axis, with the team taking the mobilisation drive to Orita Challenge, Taska, Ojo-Ekun, Arapaja, Odo-Ona Kekere, Soka and other adjoining communities.
At the various locations visited, Hajia Balkis and the APM women interacted directly with residents and market women, presenting the party’s message and soliciting support for all of its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The campaign also provided an opportunity for the women to listen to the concerns, expectations and aspirations of residents at the grassroots, with the interactions described as largely encouraging.
Market men and women, residents and other community members who received the campaign team expressed willingness to support the APM and vote for its candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The residents, who were visibly excited to receive Hajia Balkis in person, described the administration of her husband and executive chairman of the council, Engr. Akeem Olatunji as one with direct connection with the grassroots.
The expressly told the campaign team across various places visited that Olatunji’s victory in the 2027 House of Representatives election remains what was described as sacrosanct and the people’s project.
They noted that the visionary leadership and all inclusive governance being enjoyed in the council area under the watch of her husband earned him the people’s trust and confidence which they said would translate into a large turnout at the polls come 2027.
The mobilisation is part of efforts by the APM women in Oluyole to deepen the party’s presence at the grassroots and build stronger relationships with voters ahead of the elections.
Speaking after the conclusion of the two-day awareness rally, Hajia Balkis said the campaign would not stop with rallies, stressing that the next phase would involve direct engagement with households across the constituency.
“Following the successful completion of the awareness rally today, we are looking forward to commencing house-to-house campaign to further engage residents, strengthen grassroots mobilisation, and take the party’s message directly to households across Oluyole,” she said.
She added that the women would continue to engage communities respectfully and directly, noting that sustained grassroots interaction remained important to understanding the people and communicating the party’s programmes and candidates.
In her words: “For the APM women in Oluyole, the two-day mobilisation represents an early effort to build a formidable grassroots structure and presence capable of reaching voters across the constituency and galvanising support for my husband, Engr. Akeem Olatunji, our daddy and presidential candidate of our party; Governor Seyi Makinde, and all the party’s candidates.”
One of the women leaders on the team said the development reflects an intensification of grassroots political activities in Oluyole ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and their supporters increasingly taking their campaigns beyond traditional rallies to markets, motor parks, streets and individual households.
