The immediate past Minister of Power and an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has rejected the purported endorsement of the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, as the party’s consensus gubernatorial candidate by some leaders of the party.
Also, some leaders and stakeholders of the party, including Alhaji Mufutau Adisa Gbayawu (Ibadan South-East Local Government), Alhaji Isiaka Alimi (Akinyele Local Government), and Alhaji Wale Sanusi (Ibadan North Local Government), among others, have also distanced themselves from Alli’s endorsement as the APC consensus candidate in the 2027 election in the state.
Speaking in Ibadan on Saturday while meeting with Oyo APC leaders, stakeholders and members in Ibadan South-East Local Government, Adelabu warned that endorsing an aspirant as the party’s consensus gubernatorial candidate at this critical time, without the consent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-who has said the party should adopt direct primaries in choosing its candidate-will ruin the chances of the party in the forthcoming election.
He cautioned that the desperation of those leaders who endorsed Alli will not only weaken the chances of the party in the election but might also lead to the APC not having a gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 election in Oyo State, in the event that one of the governorship aspirants, who has already obtained nomination and expression of interest forms, goes to court to challenge Alli’s candidacy.
He lamented that instead of the APC uniting as a party to win the 2027 elections in the state, some members are bent on weakening the party’s strength through what he described as a kangaroo endorsement of an aspirant as the party’s consensus candidate, against the wishes of many APC stakeholders, leaders and members in the state.
He said: ‘Any endorsement done without the consent of the state APC chairman and its executives, together with other gubernatorial aspirants, is null and void, and it won’t stand.
‘The endorsement is a joke and can best be described as a bastardisation of democracy. President Tinubu is a core progressive and a democrat; he is fair and will not be partial to anyone.
‘The President has said we should go for direct primaries in choosing the party’s gubernatorial candidate if the consensus option fails. Whoever says President Tinubu has endorsed any aspirant as the party’s consensus candidate is not telling the truth.’
Adelabu, however, said he would overcome the current challenges, contest the party’s primary election and win, adding that he would be sworn in as governor of Oyo State in 2027.
He urged the people of the state to continue supporting him, saying they would enjoy the dividends of democracy if he is elected governor in 2027.