Editorial | From Alao-Akala’s Political Breakthrough to 2027: Why Bimbo Adekambi Must Embrace Muftau Open Salau’s Grassroots Influence
By: Femi Emmanuel & Ajao Stephen
First, congratulations to the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Honourable Bimbo Adekambi, for having a worthy deputy governorship candidate in the person of Engineer Muftau Open Salau. In the intricate business of politics, where appearances can be deceptive and loud proclamations do not always translate into electoral strength, having a dependable partner with an established reputation for generosity, humility, community development and enduring relationships is an advantage that should never be underestimated.
Adekambi may well have received more than a running mate in Salau. He may have found a political asset whose greatest strength lies not in self-promotion, extravagant declarations or the pursuit of personal recognition, but in years of cultivating relationships, touching lives and building bridges across different sections of society.
Our candid advice to Adekambi is simple: recognise the treasure you have in Engineer Muftau Open Salau, embrace him wholeheartedly, work closely with him and make the most of the goodwill he has cultivated over the years.
A Man Whose Reputation Speaks Louder Than His Voice
Politics is often crowded with individuals who advertise their achievements at every opportunity, loudly proclaim their influence and promise electoral victories they may not be able to deliver. Yet, beyond the noise of political gatherings and the eloquence of campaign speeches, there are individuals whose influence has been built quietly through service, generosity and genuine human relationships.
Salau belongs, according to his supporters, to this latter category.
A technocrat, philanthropist, community developer and widely connected personality, he has cultivated relationships with traditional rulers, chiefs, religious institutions, widows, widowers, young people, professionals, businesspeople and other members of the community long before venturing into partisan politics.
His defining characteristic is his understated approach to philanthropy. Rather than constantly advertising his interventions, he is known among his admirers as a man who prefers to assist people without turning every act of generosity into a publicity exercise.
Such a disposition deserves recognition in a political environment where public relations can sometimes overshadow genuine service.
For Adekambi, the implication is significant. A running mate who has established relationships with people across different social, religious and professional backgrounds brings more than a political title to the table. He brings familiarity, networks, goodwill and the possibility of connecting a campaign to communities that might otherwise remain beyond its immediate reach.
That is why Adekambi must look beyond political appearances and appreciate the substance of the man standing beside him.
Adekambi Must Look Beyond Political Noise
One of the greatest mistakes a political candidate can make is to confuse eloquence with loyalty, public visibility with grassroots acceptance, or lavish hospitality with genuine commitment.
Politics is replete with smooth talkers, self-appointed kingmakers and individuals who promise mountains of votes without possessing the relationships or organisational structures necessary to mobilise them.
Some know how to flatter candidates, manufacture impressions of popularity and create an atmosphere of exaggerated political importance. Others are genuinely committed to a cause but lack the capacity to translate their enthusiasm into sustained grassroots mobilisation.
Adekambi must therefore exercise discernment.
He should not allow himself to be distracted by politicians whose principal asset is the volume of their voices or the sophistication of their self-presentation. Instead, he should seek to understand the character, history, relationships and actual contributions of the people around him.
In particular, he must take time to understand the man Providence has placed beside him.
Salau’s strongest political currency may lie in relationships developed over many years, through assistance rendered, friendships maintained, institutions supported and communities engaged.
These are not relationships that can be manufactured overnight with campaign posters, political slogans or temporary gestures of hospitality.
They are built gradually through trust, consistency and a demonstrated willingness to stand by people in their moments of need.
Adekambi would be wise to tap into this reservoir of goodwill while ensuring that their partnership is founded on mutual respect, shared objectives and a clear commitment to the development of Oyo State.
The Ogbomoso Factor: Five Local Governments, One Political Opportunity
The significance of Salau’s emergence becomes even more pronounced when viewed against the political landscape of Ogbomosoland.
The five local government areas of Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Orire, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa constitute a substantial political constituency with distinct communities, influential traditional institutions, religious organisations, youth populations and established networks of social interaction.
Across these five local governments, Salau’s longstanding relationships could provide the APM with an important platform for engagement and grassroots mobilisation.
His connections with traditional rulers and chiefs may facilitate constructive conversations with community stakeholders. His relationships with religious bodies could encourage wider civic engagement. His reported support for vulnerable people and community development initiatives may also strengthen his acceptability among residents who value practical assistance and personal relationships.
Furthermore, his connections across professional, commercial and social circles could help the APM communicate its message to constituencies beyond conventional party structures.
This is where Adekambi must demonstrate political wisdom.
Rather than treating Salau merely as a deputy candidate whose responsibility is to appear at campaign events, he should recognise him as a partner whose experience and relationships could contribute meaningfully to the party’s mobilisation strategy.
For the APM, the task is to convert existing goodwill into constructive political engagement, communicate a credible policy agenda and build a campaign that addresses the real concerns of the people.
Some supporters may confidently project that Salau’s influence could help the party attract at least 75 per cent of the votes across Ogbomoso’s five local government areas. Such a projection, however, must be understood as a political aspiration rather than an established electoral outcome.
Achieving anything approaching that level of support would require disciplined organisation, effective communication, broad-based cooperation and a convincing explanation of what an APM administration would deliver for the people.
Nevertheless, the underlying argument is compelling: a candidate who has maintained meaningful relationships across communities possesses an advantage that a politically inexperienced or socially disconnected campaign may find difficult to replicate.
From Philanthropy to Political Capital
Salau’s supporters point to his reported interventions in education, religious development, youth empowerment, humanitarian assistance and community infrastructure as evidence of his longstanding interest in the welfare of Ogbomoso and its people.
His reported assistance to students, support for religious institutions, contributions to community initiatives and engagement with vulnerable members of society form part of the reputation that has accompanied his emergence on the APM ticket.
These contributions should not automatically be interpreted as votes already secured. Electoral choices are personal, and citizens remain free to support whichever candidate best reflects their expectations.
However, it would be equally unwise to dismiss the political significance of a longstanding record of community engagement.
When people have known an individual through personal encounters, community interventions or sustained relationships over many years, they may be more willing to listen when that individual introduces a political message or invites them to consider a candidate.
This is the distinction between merely entering a community during an election and having an established relationship with that community before the campaign begins.
Salau’s supporters believe that his reputation provides the APM with a valuable opportunity to build on relationships that already exist.
Adekambi should therefore work with him to develop a coordinated engagement strategy that combines Salau’s community connections with the governorship candidate’s policy vision, political programme and plans for the future of Oyo State.
The objective should be to transform goodwill into informed support through persuasion, credible commitments and meaningful dialogue.
The Alao-Akala Precedent and Ogbomoso’s Political Aspiration
Ogbomoso’s political history offers another reason why Salau’s emergence deserves attention.
The emergence of the late Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala as Deputy Governor of Oyo State in 2003, alongside Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, now the Olubadan of Ibadanland, remains an important reference point in discussions about Ogbomoso’s representation in state politics.
That development strengthened the town’s visibility in the political affairs of Oyo State and remains part of its collective political memory.
More than two decades later, Salau’s emergence as deputy governorship candidate has revived conversations about Ogbomoso’s political participation and the opportunities available through strategic alliances.
However, history alone cannot determine the outcome of the 2027 election. The political circumstances are different, the candidates are different, and the electorate’s expectations have evolved.
What remains relevant is the lesson that political partnerships can create opportunities for communities when they are supported by organisation, effective leadership and a clear development agenda.
For Adekambi, the opportunity is to build a partnership that gives Salau sufficient room to contribute his knowledge of the people, his professional experience and his established relationships to the broader campaign.
He must recognise that political strength is not always found in the most visible personality in the room. Sometimes, it resides in the quiet individual who knows the people, understands their circumstances and has earned their attention long before the arrival of election season.
A Partnership That Must Be Nurtured
A running mate should never be treated as a decorative addition to a campaign ticket. The office of deputy governor carries constitutional responsibilities, while the campaign partnership requires cooperation, mutual confidence and a shared understanding of the aspirations of the electorate.
Adekambi and Salau must therefore cultivate a relationship built on trust, consultation and clearly defined responsibilities.
Adekambi should make deliberate efforts to understand Salau’s professional background, community engagements, personal values and network of relationships. He should encourage him to bring forward ideas on youth development, education, community security, employment, infrastructure and economic opportunities for Ogbomoso and the wider state.
At the same time, Salau must help communicate the APM’s policies, explain its vision and demonstrate how its proposed programmes would improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
Their partnership must be about more than political calculations. It should represent a commitment to inclusive governance and the welfare of the people.
If they succeed in establishing such cooperation, the APM could become better positioned to engage Ogbomoso’s communities and present a more persuasive case to voters across Oyo State.
Our Final Word to Bimbo Adekambi
Honourable Bimbo Adekambi, congratulations once again on your emergence as the APM governorship candidate and on having Engineer Muftau Open Salau as your deputy governorship candidate.
Our editorial counsel is that you should embrace this partnership with sincerity, humility and strategic understanding.
Do not judge your deputy by how loudly he speaks about himself. Examine the relationships he has cultivated, the people he has assisted, the institutions he has supported and the confidence he has earned over the years.
Do not allow political flattery, exaggerated claims or the theatrical display of influence to distract you from the enduring value of genuine community relationships.
Take the time to know Salau more deeply. Listen to his counsel, involve him in important decisions and give him the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of your campaign.
Recognise the traditional rulers and community leaders who know him, the religious institutions with which he has maintained relationships, the vulnerable people he has reportedly supported and the young people whose aspirations deserve attention.
Above all, work with him to transform the goodwill surrounding his personality into a credible political movement founded on policies, public engagement and a genuine commitment to the people.
The people of Ogbomosoland may see Salau as one of their own, but the responsibility before both candidates is to demonstrate that their partnership can serve the interests of Ogbomoso and the entire state.
The projected 75 per cent electoral support across Ogbomoso’s five local governments should therefore be treated as a target to be earned through sustained engagement, not a victory to be presumed.
In the final analysis, political success depends on much more than personal popularity. It requires a compelling vision, effective organisation, credible leadership, public trust and the ability to translate campaign promises into practical solutions.
Adekambi has an opportunity to build a formidable partnership with a deputy whose influence, according to his supporters, was cultivated through years of community relationships rather than the sudden demands of electoral ambition. He should nurture that partnership, recognise its potential and work with Salau to make the APM ticket a credible choice for the people of Oyo State.
For Ogbomoso, the 2027 election presents an opportunity to advance its political aspirations. For Adekambi, Salau’s emergence offers an opportunity to strengthen his campaign through a deeper understanding of the people and the communities whose support he seeks.
The wisdom lies in recognising the value of the partnership, respecting the people behind the numbers and building a campaign that deserves their confidence.
That is the political opportunity before Honourable Bimbo Adekambi. He should embrace it with both hands.
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