Meet Akanbi Adewale Idris, APM Consensus Candidate for Ibadan South West Chairmanship

The Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in Ibadan South West Local Government has settled on Akanbi Adewale Idris as its consensus Chairmanship candidate for the forthcoming local government elections.

Akanbi, a grassroots politician and public administrator from Ward 9, Ibadan South West, brings a mix of experience in local governance, political communication, business leadership, and community development to the race. Over the years he has been active in community engagement, working with residents, youth groups, artisans and market leaders in the local government. His approach to politics has focused on accessibility, listening to people at the grassroots, and building solutions around their immediate needs.

He also served as Online Media Director for the Engr. Seyi Makinde Governorship Campaign between 2017 and 2019, where he directed digital communication, mobilised public participation, and supported issue-based campaign messaging. In that capacity he coordinated online teams, managed campaign content across platforms, and helped drive conversations that connected government policies to the daily realities of citizens. Party members say the experience gave him a strong understanding of how to communicate with the people and mobilise them around a shared vision.

In the private sector, Akanbi is the Founder and CEO of Hobeet Media, a strategic communication, public relations and brand development firm established in 2011. Through the company he has provided media strategy, public relations, and brand positioning services to political actors, businesses and community organisations. His background in communication has made him a strong advocate for clear, transparent and consistent engagement between government and the people.

Akanbi also worked with Blueberry Technology Limited as Business Development Manager and later as Regional Manager, South West. In those roles he led operations, managed staff, drove market expansion, and improved productivity across the region. He is described by colleagues as structured, accountable, and focused on results.

He has further professional experience in the UK health and social care sector, having worked with Precious Homes, Ability Housing Association, Solution4U Care Agency, Oxfordshire Minds, and Severcare Agency. The roles exposed him to systems of accountability, teamwork, safeguarding and service delivery. This international experience, according to those close to him, shaped his belief that public service must be built on structure, welfare and dignity for the people.

Akanbi holds an Advanced Professional Diploma in Business Studies, Level 7, from City of London College, UK, and a B.A. in Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University. His background in both communication and business, combined with years of practical experience, has equipped him with strengths in grassroots mobilisation, strategic leadership, public policy implementation, political communication, stakeholder engagement, youth empowerment, and project coordination.

According to his profile, Akanbi believes local government should be transparent, accountable, accessible and development-driven. He says governance at the grassroots must translate into real improvements in people’s lives. His focus is on economic empowerment for traders, artisans and small businesses, youth development through skills and entrepreneurship, improved healthcare and access to primary health services, environmental sustainability through proper waste management and cleaner communities, infrastructure upgrade across wards, and inclusive governance that carries women, youths and all stakeholders along.

With his emergence as consensus candidate, APM in Ibadan South West says it has chosen unity, competence and grassroots connection. The party expresses confidence that Akanbi’s background positions him to provide responsive leadership that delivers tangible results for the people.