Florence Ajimobi Takes Command, Tightens Grip on Oyo APC Structure
Power in party politics does not always follow titles. In Oyo State, it is settling around Dr. Florence Ajimobi, former First Lady of Oyo State and wife of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi. She holds no formal chairmanship, yet she now sits at the centre of the APC’s internal map. Her influence shows in who meets, who agrees, and who steps back.
The party has a chairman, Chief Moses Adeyemo. Day-to-day authority, however, typically flows through Madam Florence’s network. She convenes, brokers, and settles. That role has grown sharper as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
Recent meetings in Lagos and Ibadan brought together figures who rarely share the same room. Minister Adebayo Adelabu and Senator Teslim Folarin both attended. Clearly, the goal of the meeting was to reduce friction early and avoid another fractured campaign season.
Madam Ajimobi’s language has also drawn notice. She described the coming election as a contest the party must win with full backing from Abuja. In other words, this is no playing ground; the time has come for mobilisation.
It makes more sense remembering that the convener in question is also an ambassador-designate, which places her within a wider circle of influence. It ties state politics to national calculations and gives her added leverage inside the party.
Not all reactions have been warm. Some members question how recent party decisions emerged through consensus. Others worry that a small circle now shapes outcomes that once involved wider participation.
She has also had to push back against sharper claims. Reports linked her to a plot to impeach Governor Seyi Makinde. Her office rejected the story and called it political fiction. Earlier in the year, a manipulated video forced another round of denials.
Even so, Madam Ajimobi’s position holds. She speaks less in public rallies and more in closed meetings where deals take shape. That method suits a party trying to rebuild after an electoral loss.
Oyo APC now moves with a clearer centre of gravity. Whether that brings unity or fresh tension will show soon enough.
