The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has led the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, on a courtesy visit to the palace of the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola, where the candidate pledged to sustain development across Ibarapaland.
The visit, which took place shortly after the political defection ceremony at Eruwa Town Hall, was in observance of the Yoruba tradition of paying homage to traditional rulers and seeking their royal blessings when visiting their domains.
Speaking during the visit, Ogundoyin said the decision to bring Adekanmbi to the palace reflected the importance of traditional institutions and respect for royal authority in Yoruba culture.
He noted that it was important for the APM governorship candidate to meet with the monarch and members of the Eleruwa-in-Council, adding that the visit provided an opportunity for Adekanmbi to formally identify with the traditional institution and the people of Eruwa.
In his remarks, Adekanmbi described the reception accorded him in Eruwa as overwhelming and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to visit the ancient town and pay homage to the monarch.
He said his discussions with Oba Adegbola focused on the development of Eruwa, its neighbouring communities and the entire Ibarapaland, noting that the monarch emphasised the need for sustained development across the area.
Adekanmbi said they reached an understanding that an APM-led administration would continue the development agenda of Governor Seyi Makinde, while assuring the people of Ibarapaland of greater attention to their developmental needs.
“We made a pact that the incoming APM government under my leadership will continue the development agenda of Governor Seyi Makinde. I assured Kabiyesi that every nook and cranny of Ibarapaland will witness tremendous progress and development under my administration as Governor of Oyo State,” he said.
The APM candidate thanked the Eleruwa and members of the traditional council for the reception, describing the engagement as an opportunity to understand the aspirations of the people and the development priorities of the community.
The homage visit followed a political rally in Eruwa where more than 2,000 members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by former Ibarapa East Local Government Chairman, Hon. Bimbo Adepoju, defected to the APM.
The event also featured an empowerment programme in which over ₦20 million was committed to supporting artisans, market groups and former local government and ward executives. Two brand-new Bajaj motorcycles were also donated to the Park Management System (PMS) to support its operations in Ibarapa East.
