By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Honourable Funso Jide Adekunle, popularly known as Honourable Fushi, alongside Comrade Ayoade Waheed Lawal and Honourable Praise Oyedeji, has held a strategic meeting with Honourable (Alhaji) Kazeem Bolarinwa, Director-General of Youth Mobilisation for the 2027 Governorship and Presidential Elections of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State, to strengthen youth mobilisation and grassroots political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
The meeting, held at the University of Ibadan, brought together key leaders of the SMART BOYS MOVEMENT (SBM) and the APM’s youth mobilisation structure to discuss organisational coordination, community outreach and strategies for encouraging responsible youth participation in the electoral process.
Fushi is the National Executive Director of SBM, while Lawal serves as the movement’s Oyo State Executive Director. Oyedeji is the South-West Director of Youth Mobilisation and Election Monitoring.
During the meeting, the participants exchanged ideas on building effective grassroots structures, improving cooperation among youth leaders and strengthening communication between political organisations and communities across Oyo State.
Speaking on the importance of youth engagement, Fushi stressed that effective mobilisation required consistent interaction with communities, proper organisation and opportunities for young people to contribute meaningfully to the democratic process.
He noted that youth mobilisation should extend beyond political meetings and gatherings to include sustained community engagement, leadership development and initiatives that address issues affecting young people.
Fushi also emphasised the importance of collaboration among youth leaders and political stakeholders, noting that a coordinated approach would help strengthen organisational structures and promote responsible participation in the forthcoming elections.
Lawal, in his contribution, highlighted the need to establish a well-coordinated youth network across Oyo State, with effective communication and cooperation among leaders at the state, local government and ward levels.
He noted that grassroots mobilisation would be more sustainable when young people were actively involved in community engagement and when youth organisations worked together towards clearly defined objectives.
Lawal further stressed that regular consultations and cooperation between SBM and the APM’s mobilisation structure would help improve coordination, broaden outreach and encourage greater participation among young people ahead of the 2027 elections.
For his part, Oyedeji underscored the importance of combining youth mobilisation with civic awareness, peaceful political engagement and effective election monitoring.
He noted that young people could contribute to the electoral process by promoting awareness of electoral procedures, encouraging eligible citizens to participate and supporting compliance with relevant electoral guidelines.
Oyedeji also emphasised the need for proper coordination among youth mobilisation leaders and election-monitoring teams, explaining that effective communication and preparedness would be important as political activities intensify ahead of the elections.
Responding to the contributions, Bolarinwa appreciated Fushi, Lawal and Oyedeji for their ideas, commitment and willingness to collaborate towards strengthening youth mobilisation and grassroots political engagement in Oyo State.
He acknowledged the importance of their suggestions on community outreach, organisational coordination and youth participation, noting that effective collaboration among youth leaders and political stakeholders would be essential to building a coordinated mobilisation structure across the state.
Bolarinwa stressed that the task ahead required collective responsibility, regular consultations and practical cooperation between the APM’s mobilisation structure and youth organisations at the state, local government and ward levels.
According to him, sustained teamwork would help improve communication, expand community outreach and encourage greater participation in the electoral process.
He further emphasised that the party’s preparations should encompass all elective positions, including the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
Bolarinwa noted that effective coordination, voter education, peaceful engagement with communities and compliance with electoral guidelines would be important considerations in the party’s preparations for the different elections.
He encouraged the participants to sustain the spirit of cooperation demonstrated at the meeting and translate their discussions into practical, coordinated activities aimed at strengthening grassroots structures and supporting the APM’s candidates across the various levels of government.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of maintaining open communication among political stakeholders, coordinating mobilisation programmes and sustaining engagement with communities as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.
The meeting comes as political organisations in Oyo State continue to develop their structures ahead of the 2027 elections. The participants’ discussions centred on the role of youth engagement, organisational cooperation and peaceful political participation in preparing for the forthcoming electoral process.
The participants are expected to sustain consultations and cooperation on areas of common interest, with a focus on strengthening grassroots structures, promoting responsible civic participation and ensuring that mobilisation activities are conducted in line with relevant electoral guidelines.
