*A Path to Victory in 2027 by Dr. Felicia Adekemi Opatunde**

_“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.”_
— William Shakespeare, _Julius Caesar_, Act 4, Scene 3

After eight years in opposition, this is our moment. Winning Oyo State again will take discipline, unity, and a genuine return to the people. Victory won’t come from sidelining grassroots voices or from sentiment. It will come from presenting candidates the people truly own.

As an actor in this process, I have no mandate to select or impose candidates. My responsibility is to guide the process fairly, ensure transparency, and remain unbiased at every stage. When we act as neutral facilitators rather than interested parties, the party keeps the trust of both aspirants and the electorate.

Democracy must be people-centered. The candidate that the grassroots rally behind is often the councilor or House of Assembly member who speaks their language and shows up for them daily. For many at the base, that local representative _is_ their governor and their president. They don’t need access to Government House or Abuja. They trust the leader they can reach in their community.

That is why a record of empowerment and welfare matters. A true grassroots leader is known by visible projects and by relationships that cut across social lines. The people remember who stood with them when there was no office to gain.

We must also confront an uncomfortable truth: the compromises and fallout that follow when money is collected from aspirants. Sentiment and money don’t win elections for a party that has been out of power for eight years. Only verifiable track records and popular acceptance do.

It is critical that the people’s choice emerges for House of Assembly and House of Representatives seats. These grassroots mobilizers are the strongest link to securing victory at the presidential and gubernatorial levels. I’m struck by the number of aspirants who have purchased Expression of Interest and Nomination forms across all categories, when only one Governor, three Senators, and a limited number of seats for Representatives and Assembly are available. Competition is healthy, but the final selection must reflect the will of the people.

We also cannot ignore community agreements. Where long-standing rotational arrangements exist, undermining them invites protest votes and internal friction. Respecting those agreements protects peace and improves our chances.

There is also the question of continuity. Longer service in the legislature can open doors to higher office and leadership within the chambers. But is Nigeria’s political space and the public’s understanding ready for that? Will long-serving lawmakers be seen as serving the people, or as returning primarily for personal gain? These are questions we must answer honestly with the electorate.

What matters most to me is making amends for those genuinely wronged. This is where the golden rule must guide every actor. Yes, we’re in a race where only one person wears the crown that everyone wants. But resorting to conspiracy and ganging up against one another, though common in politics, undermines trust and weakens the party rather than fostering the sportsmanship and team spirit we need to win.

I also know that the screening process is at its peak now. My first constituency is my fellow women, and my heart is beating fast for their fate. We are in competition with the mighty—men—in a patriarchal society, but our knees are hurting from kneeling to behold heaven, where help comes for the helpless.

Be strong, my sisters. Although I am watching from the lintel of my home in Ibadan, awaiting the numbers of women who will make the list, my heart is in Abuja. May this comforting word be my anchor: *“May the best candidate emerge.”*

My position is simple: let the people’s choices prevail over sentiment, over the exclusion of grassroots input, and over compromise. The tide is with us, but it will only carry us forward if we put our house in order.

_“Nothing will come of nothing.”_
— William Shakespeare, _King Lear_, Act 1, Scene 1

If we give the people nothing but exclusion and empty promises, we will get nothing in return. But if we present candidates they know and trust, victory in 2027 will follow.

*Dr. Adekemi Felicia Opatunde*