MAPO HALL IS OPEN TO ALL PARTIES, SAYS OYO GOVERNMENT, URGES PEACEFUL CAMPAIGNS

The Mapo Hall row has drawn a statement from Governor Seyi Makinde. He says the APC and other parties can use the venue for campaigns if they meet the laid-down procedures.

Makinde spoke while addressing concerns about the APC’s proposed use of Mapo Hall for its presidential campaign. His Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, issued the statement on Tuesday. ValidViewNetwork reports that the statement does not say who raised the concerns.

WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID

The governor said public assets belong to the people of Oyo State and must be managed transparently and fairly, without partisan considerations.

He said no party should be denied access if it meets the established requirements. Access is regulated by guidelines meant to ensure proper use, maintenance and public order.

He also asked officials to handle applications professionally and without bias, and urged political actors to be peaceful.

WHY THE QUESTION MATTERS

The APC’s campaign train is heading to Ibadan. Its timetable, flagged off in Kaduna on 24 October, puts the Ibadan rally on 21 November.

The timetable does not give venues for every rally. The presidential and National Assembly elections hold on 16 January 2027.

Makinde is now a rival, not a bystander. He is the Allied Peoples Movement’s presidential candidate. He declared his bid at Mapo Hall on 14 May 2026. That makes the venue’s rules politically charged.

THE BACKGROUND

Oyo APC has made similar complaints before. It earlier accused the state government of planning to restrict opposition campaigns through rules on outdoor advertising.

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It also faulted Makinde over the use of Adamasingba Stadium for an APM rally. The government has denied no party access in this statement.

History adds irony. In 2023, a massive crowd filled Mapo Hall for Tinubu’s mega rally. Before it, Tinubu paid Makinde a courtesy call at the governor’s office. The Mapo Hall row will be settled by how fairly the booking rules are applied. ValidViewNetwork reports.