The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has officially withdrawn from the upcoming local government elections scheduled for December 2026.

In a strongly-worded statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan, the main opposition party labeled the planned grassroots polls as "illegal, ill-conceived, and self-serving," dealing a significant blow to the credibility of the upcoming transit of power at the third tier of government.

The declaration, signed by the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadare, accused the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde of deliberate administrative overreach and political desperation.

The APC alleged that the sudden push for the December elections is a calculated political maneuver by Governor Makinde. According to the party, the governor is attempting to rush the electoral process to install handpicked loyalists into the 33 local government councils before his constitutional tenure ends in May 2027.

"The same Makinde is now trying to impose another set of lackeys who would be loyal to him even after leaving Agodi Government House," Sadare stated.

The opposition argued that the governor is fully aware that his political influence will evaporate after the 2027 general elections. Rushing the local polls, the party claims, is his final strategy to retain a grip on grassroots machinery.

Local Government Autonomy Under Fire

A central pillar of the APC’s boycott is the ongoing crisis surrounding local government autonomy in Oyo State. The opposition party painted a grim picture of local administration under the current government, accusing Makinde of systematically undermining grassroots democracy.

Key grievances raised by the APC include: The party alleged that the governor has heavily compromised the financial independence of the 33 local government councils for over seven years.The boycott statement noted that the current electoral push would only worsen the economic and structural hardships felt by citizens at the local level.The APC stated that the governor has proven he cannot be trusted to deliver a free, fair, and autonomous local government structure.

Standoff Ahead of 2027

The APC expressed confidence that the people of Oyo State are eager for May 2027 to arrive so that the third tier of government can finally regain its administrative and financial freedom.

By pulling out entirely from the race, the APC has effectively set up a tense political atmosphere in the state, signaling that it will not validate an electoral process it deems fundamentally flawed and unconstitutional.

As of the time of going to press, the Oyo State Government and the ruling People`s Democratic Party (PDP) have yet to issue an official response to the APC’s boycott and the heavy allegations leveled against the governor.