One of the governorship candidates under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbemileke Alagbe, has alleged that he won the party’s primary election but was excluded from the final list submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Alagbe made the claim when he appeared as a guest on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s show, Politics Today, where he spoke on the crisis rocking the ADC in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
He accused the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, of imposing another candidate, Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke, on the party.
‘By every standard, I won the primary. But by INEC’s miracle, my name was not on the list they submitted. Another name appeared there,’ Alagbe said.
According to him, the development was part of a deliberate plot to sideline him despite having the support of delegates and party members in the four local governments.
He alleged that the imposition was done to favour a particular interest within the party leadership in Oyo State.
‘Aregbesola and his group decided to impose Adegbeke. That is not democracy. That is not what ADC stands for,’ he stated.
Alagbe said he had since petitioned the national leadership of the ADC and INEC over the matter.
He explained that evidence from the primary election, including result sheets and video recordings, shows that he clearly won.
The ADC candidate said the exclusion has created confusion among party members who voted for him during the primary.
‘People are asking me, ‘We voted for you, why is your name not there?’ I don’t have an answer because I did nothing wrong,’ he said.
He accused some leaders of trying to turn the ADC in Oyo into a personal estate rather than a political party built on internal democracy.
‘If we continue like this, the party will lose credibility before the people. You cannot build a party by imposing candidates,’ Alagbe said.
He called on the national leadership of the ADC to intervene and ensure that the rightful candidate is recognized before the 2027 elections.
Alagbe also urged INEC to investigate how his name was replaced after he was declared winner at the primary.
‘I won, but by INEC’s miracle I was not on their list. That must be corrected. The will of the people must not be subverted,’ he said.
He vowed to continue to pursue legal and political means to reclaim the mandate given to him by delegates.