Oyo 2027: Adelabu backs down, seeks APC reconciliation

The former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Bayo Adelabu, on Thursday backed down from pursuing legal action over the party’s governorship primary, urging the APC leadership to initiate a comprehensive reconciliation process ahead of the 2027 election.

Adelabu, in a statement released in Ibadan, the state capital, said his decision was not due to a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction, but was taken in the interest of the party’s progress ahead of the 2027 elections.

He explained that the decision followed a meeting with some party leaders and representatives of his loyalists and supporters from across the 33 local government areas and 351 wards in the state.

The PUNCH reports that some Oyo APC governorship aspirants have been at loggerheads with the state and national executive members of the party over the nomination of Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

They alleged that Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was imposed on them.

Adelabu, in his statement, said that as a loyal and committed member of the APC, he had decided not to pursue an appeal within the party or institute legal proceedings over the process at this time.

The former minister said, “This decision is not because of a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction. Neither should it be interpreted as an act of surrender or an indication that my aspiration to serve as governor of Oyo State is a do-or-die affair.

“Rather, I have chosen, in the interest of peace, party stability and the larger future of the APC in the state, not to further escalate the matter through avenues that may deepen existing divisions and undermine the cohesion of our great party.

“More importantly, our respected national chairman, during his recent visit to Oyo, openly acknowledged that there were errors, unfairness and injustice associated with aspects of the primary election process.

“We believe that an acknowledgement or apology, though important, cannot and should not substitute for the necessary correction where the opportunity to address the grievances still exists.”

He expressed concern that many loyal members had invested years of their lives, enormous personal resources, time, energy and political capital in building the APC.

Many of them, according to him, now felt that their sacrifices, votes and preferences had been disregarded and that candidates who did not necessarily reflect the popular choices of party members had emerged without a transparent declaration of the primary results.

“Their grievances are genuine and must not be dismissed as merely the product of the influence or persuasion of any particular aspirant.

“Indeed, many party members are deeply convinced that their own votes, sacrifices and preferences were disregarded, and some may not readily accept appeals from the aspirants they supported.

“Rather, names of selected individuals were subsequently entered on the INEC electronic portal as the party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections.

“This development has effectively produced candidates without the transparent publication of the actual results upon which such nominations were supposedly based.

“The concerns arising from this process cut across the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly nominations.

“We agreed that the absence of publicly declared and verifiable results has understandably generated serious concerns about the transparency, credibility and integrity of the nomination process.

“We also affirmed that substantial documentary materials, authenticated collation records and video evidence exist which, in our considered view, raise serious questions about aspects of the process and the eventual outcomes.”

He asked the national leadership of the party to restore confidence, rebuild trust and return cohesion and unity to the party.

“The national leadership of our party must therefore appreciate that the responsibility for reconciliation cannot simply be transferred to aspirants.

“The APC has important work to do to restore confidence, rebuild trust and return cohesion and unity to the party in the state,” he said.

The former minister urged the national leadership of the APC to urgently initiate a comprehensive, sincere and credible reconciliation process covering all categories of nominations and genuinely engaging all affected stakeholders.

“Members who feel wounded, betrayed or alienated must be deliberately engaged and reassured, not merely through appeals, but through concrete actions that demonstrate that their loyalty, sacrifices and contributions still matter.

“The implications of the present situation must not be underestimated. Electoral victory cannot be secured merely by entering names on an electronic portal or announcing candidates.

“Elections are won through the trust, enthusiasm, commitment and active participation of party members and supporters, particularly at the grassroots,” he added.

Adelabu insisted that his aspiration to serve as the state governor was driven by a genuine desire to contribute more directly to the development, prosperity and progress of Oyo State and its people.

“My aspiration to serve as Governor of Oyo State has never been, and will never be, a do-or-die project. By the grace of Almighty God, I have been privileged to serve at the highest levels of both the private and public sectors, and for these opportunities, I remain profoundly grateful.

“However, as human beings, we may propose, but Almighty God ultimately disposes according to His divine will and perfect timing.

“While recent developments may have delayed the realisation of this aspiration, I remain firmly convinced that what may be delayed by human actions cannot be denied by Almighty God. God’s time, indeed, remains the best,” the former minister stressed.