By The Asudemade Perspective

The political temperature in Oyo State has continued to rise ahead of the 2027 general elections as the Al-Faedat Tijjaniyyah fil-Islam Movement has thrown its considerable weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the state.

The influential Muslim movement declared its support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid and adopted Senator Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli as its preferred candidate for the Oyo State governorship election.

The group also endorsed Hon. Aderemi Oseni and other APC candidates contesting National and State Assembly seats across the state.

The declaration was made on Thursday at an emergency meeting of the movement in Ibadan attended by hundreds of members from the 33 local government areas of Oyo State.

Beyond the political declarations, the gathering featured Islamic lectures and special prayers for the peace, stability and progress of Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Oyo State Coordinator of the movement, Alhaji Abdullateef Yeskuru Adewale, said the decision was not taken hastily, stressing that the leadership had spent months consulting its stakeholders within and outside the country before arriving at its political position.

According to him, several politicians and political parties had sought the movement’s endorsement ahead of 2027, but the organisation deliberately subjected the requests to consultations and prayers before making its choice.

“We have been approached by different individuals and parties for possible endorsement of their candidates, but we knew we could not do anything without due consultation and divine guidance,” Adewale said.

He declared that the movement had settled for President Tinubu and the APC candidates, expressing confidence that the President deserved another term in office.

“We are absolutely sure that President Tinubu is the best man to lead Nigeria till 2031 and we shall do everything as a group which comprises more than 200,000 voters in the state to deliver all the candidates of the APC,” he added.

Adewale said prominent Tijjaniyyah leaders, including Alhaji AbdulSalam Adebolu, Khaleefah Salawudeen Tijani and Alhaji Thanni Olafimihan, had been part of the consultations that produced the movement’s political direction.

He subsequently announced the endorsement of APC candidates from the presidential level down to the National and State Assembly elections.

“I’m glad to announce today that we have endorsed all the APC candidates from President Tinubu to Senator Alli to Hon. Oseni as well as other National and State Assembly candidates of the APC. They will get our massive votes and, by the grace of Allah, there is no going back on this,” he declared.

For Senator Alli, the endorsement represents a significant boost as he prepares for what is expected to be a keenly contested governorship race in Oyo State.

Receiving the endorsement, Alli commended the Tijjaniyyah Movement for what he described as its political consciousness, peaceful disposition and commitment to religious tolerance.

“On behalf of President Tinubu and other candidates of the APC, I thank you for this show of love, affection and cooperation,” Alli said.

He assured the group that an APC administration would treat all citizens fairly, regardless of religious affiliation.

“We, at the APC, assure you that every citizen of this great country, including religious groups, will get fair treatment as well as the right dose of good governance as you trust us with the mandate to lead at all spheres of public administration,” he added.

The APC delegation to the gathering was led by the state chairman of the party, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo.

Also in attendance were the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Adesoji Adedeji; Oyo South Senatorial District candidate, Hon. Aderemi Oseni; Hon. Fatai Adesina; Asiwaju Yemi Aderibigbe; Alhaji Shina Alabi; Dr. Kazeem Abimbola-Abogun; Alhaja Tinuade Adigun; Olawale Sadare and Alhaji Lateef Akinsanya.

With the Tijjaniyyah Movement now publicly declaring its political preference, the 2027 contest in Oyo State is already assuming a more intense dimension, with the major political parties expected to intensify their engagement with religious, traditional, community and other influential groups ahead of the elections.

For the APC, the endorsement provides another platform from which to strengthen its grassroots mobilisation across the state, while for Senator Alli, it represents an early show of support from an organised religious constituency as the race for Agodi Government House gradually takes shape.