By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
The Osun State youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched the inaugural edition of the Ilerioluwa Football Competition, an initiative aimed at fostering unity and mobilizing party members ahead of the 2026 elections.
The inauguration ceremony, led by the APC Youth Leader in Osogbo, Goke Akinwemimo, included the formal appointment of committee members responsible for organizing the tournament.
Akinwemimo encouraged the youth to see the competition as “a symbol of our collective strength and determination to reclaim victory for our party in the next election.”
He also expressed optimism that the Ilerioluwa Football Competition would serve as a catalyst for unity, mobilization, and party strength as the 2026 elections draw closer.
The APC youth wing described the tournament as “a groundbreaking initiative that will not only bring our youth together but also strengthen our party’s grassroots support.”
He urged young party members to participate actively, stating, “This is not just about football. It is about teamwork, unity, and showing that we are ready to work together for a stronger APC in 2026.”
Speaking at the event, Honourable Adelabu Aremo, former Special Adviser on Youth and Sports and Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, emphasized the role of football in uniting people.
“When we talk about youth, we are talking about sports. And when we talk about sports, you know it’s a unifying factor. Most especially when we talk about football, it brings unity to people,” he said.
He highlighted the strategic importance of the competition in rallying party youth across all local governments in the state, stating:
“We are looking at a way of unifying the youth of our party. We want to bring them together, we want to mobilize them together so that we will be one. We use sports to mobilize our youth so that we can reclaim the government from the PDP.”
The Ilerioluwa Football Competition is envisioned as an annual event, providing APC youth with a platform for consistent engagement and solidarity.
“It’s going to be a yearly program, by the grace of God, so that the youth of the party will have something to look forward to and celebrate every year,” Adelabu added.
The competition will kick off with preliminary matches in each federal constituency, with the final stages taking place in Osogbo, the state capital. A Technical Committee will oversee team participation guidelines from each local government.
During the inauguration, letters of appointment were issued to members of various committees, including the Central Working Committee, Technical Committee, Security Committee, and Health Committee, ensuring a comprehensive and well-organized tournament.