Peter Obi’s Southwest Ally, Ebiseni, Dumps LP for APC, Backs Tinubu

A prominent ally of Peter Obi in the Southwest and Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, has left the Labour Party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ebiseni, who served as the Southwest Coordinator of Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council during the 2023 general election, also declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.

He made the declaration during a meeting with Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Government House in Akure on Thursday.

The meeting, which was also attended by the Ondo State APC Chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, marked a major change in Ebiseni’s political alignment ahead of the 2027 elections. Reports also indicate that Ebiseni has resigned his position as Afenifere Secretary-General following his decision to join the APC.

Explaining his decision, Ebiseni linked his support for Tinubu to the argument that the presidency should remain in southern Nigeria in the interest of political stability. He also favoured continuity in government, arguing that policies already introduced by the administration should have time to produce their intended results.

“First and foremost and for the avoidance of any doubt, our declaration today for the President’s second term is in tandem with the views of most Nigerians and political gladiators that the office of the President should still be in southern Nigeria in the interest of the political stability of the federation,” Ebiseni declared.

Although he acknowledged that Tinubu was not the only presidential aspirant from the South, the former Labour Party chieftain argued that the President’s existing policies and programmes offered a basis for continuity.

A change of administration, in his view, could bring new policies whose benefits might not mature within another four-year term.

Ebiseni also defended the removal of the fuel subsidy, pointing out that major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had promised to end the subsidy regime. He argued that retaining the policy would have placed additional pressure on states that were already struggling to meet their responsibilities to citizens.

“Whatever anyone may say about the removal of subsidy, which all frontline Presidential candidates promised in 2023, its retention would have spelt doom, particularly for the states which were already lying prostrate in the discharge of their responsibilities to the citizens,” he stated.

The former LP chieftain further identified security reforms as another reason for supporting a second term for Tinubu. He cited the proposed establishment of State Police and the reported plan to increase the number of Nigerian Army divisions from eight to 12 as initiatives that would require time to develop.

For Ebiseni, however, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has a more direct significance because of its potential impact on the Ilaje coastal communities of Ondo State. He described the project as a major development for his people and linked his support for Tinubu to its full implementation and proper coastal alignment through the state.

“Politics is local and as a leader of my Ilaje coastal people of Ondo State, this road is the most significant life-changing project for us and I am here to join President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its full implementation, particularly its proper coastal alignment in the state,” he declared.

Ebiseni also linked the expected benefits of the project to his decision to mobilise support for the President’s re-election, declaring, “To us, therefore, who are given much by the President, much more is expected in terms of support for his re-election.”

Governor Aiyedatiwa, while receiving Ebiseni and his supporters, assured them of integration into the APC campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor highlighted Ebiseni’s political experience in Ondo State, including his previous service as chairman of the old Ilaje-Ese-Odo Local Government and his appointments as a commissioner.

Aiyedatiwa also pointed to Ebiseni’s activities within Afenifere and other socio-cultural organisations as assets that could contribute to the party’s mobilisation efforts. He explained that the presence of the APC state chairman at the meeting demonstrated the party’s readiness to integrate Ebiseni and his supporters into its campaign structure.

“We know you as one of our leaders in the state and your political activities across the state, as well as your roles in Afenifere and other socio-cultural organisations in the country, will be an added advantage and value to the tasks ahead of us,” the governor stated.

The development represents a shift from Ebiseni’s role in the 2023 presidential election, when he coordinated Peter Obi’s campaign activities in the Southwest. His latest move now places him within the APC camp as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.