Oyo APC senatorial aspirant pledges loyalty to party

One of the aspirants for the Oyo Central Senatorial District ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Ademola Alli, has pledged continued loyalty to the party despite his grievances over the outcome of the recently concluded 2027 senatorial primary.

Alli, in a statement titled, “Supporting Unity, Seeking Restitution: Standing With Our Party, Standing For Our Principles,” issued in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, called for unity and restitution within the party.

He said he would not defect from the APC or engage in any form of anti-party activity, stressing that genuine reconciliation must address the concerns of members who felt aggrieved by the primary process.

The APC chieftain said, “I had consulted party leaders, stakeholders, supporters and loyalists on the way forward after the primary,” expressing gratitude to members across Oyo Central who supported his aspiration.

“I deliberately remained neutral during the APC governorship primary, despite having relationships with the various aspirants, because my focus was on securing the Oyo Central senatorial ticket.

“I make this clear because my position today is not the product of any political arrangement arising from the gubernatorial contest. I remained neutral throughout that process.

“I met with the party’s reconciliation committee on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, where I communicated my position and reaffirmed my commitment to the APC while drawing attention to concerns arising from the Oyo Central senatorial primary.

“Many of my supporters believed that the outcome of the primary did not adequately reflect their choices. They had invested their time, resources, energy and political capital in the process,” he explained.

The APC chieftain, therefore, urged his supporters to remain calm and disciplined, warning against allowing disappointment to degenerate into hatred or division within the party.

“I believe that being a party man requires both loyalty and honesty. I remain committed to the APC and would neither leave the party nor encourage my supporters and associates to undermine its candidates.

“I am not leaving the party, I do not support defection or anti-party activity, and I will not encourage my supporters or associates to undermine the party or its candidates,” he insisted.

Alli argued that party loyalty should not require members to remain silent over genuine concerns, saying, “Reconciliation should involve listening, acknowledgement, restitution, healing and rebuilding.

“By restitution, I do not necessarily demand that every outcome of the primary be reversed, but that meaningful steps should be taken to acknowledge legitimate grievances, repair damaged relationships and restore the confidence of party members.”

He described grassroots members as the foundation of the APC, stressing that their trust and confidence would be crucial to the party’s success in the 2027 elections.

The aspirant then congratulated Senator Sharafadeen Alli on his emergence as the APC’s governorship candidate in the state, describing their relationship as one that goes beyond politics.

He noted that he and the senator had maintained a longstanding relationship and were affectionately referred to by some people as “twin brothers.”

Alli urged the APC governorship candidate to use his emergence to build bridges and bring other aspirants, their supporters and stakeholders together, adding, “The primary contests are over; the task before us now is to unite the party and focus our collective energy on winning in 2027.”

He further urged him to extend a hand to members who felt hurt or excluded during the primary, saying the moment presented an opportunity for the party to rebuild trust and give every member a renewed sense of belonging.

“He has my goodwill as a friend, my prayers and my support as a loyal member of the APC.”

The former aspirant said although his aspiration to represent Oyo Central in the Senate had ended with the primary, his commitment to the people of Oyo Central and Oyo State generally remained unwavering.

“The contest may be over, but the work of healing has only begun. We seek unity, but not at the expense of truth. We seek reconciliation, but not without restitution. We seek peace, but not through the silencing of genuine grievances,” he added.