Adelabu throws hat into Oyo governorship ring, fellow APC contenders cry foul over alleged handpicking

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Former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on Tuesday, formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

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Adelabu made the declaration at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, in the presence of a large number of his supporters and loyalists.

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Adelabu, who has twice been a governorship candidate, said his decision to return to the governorship race was driven by the need for “stronger leadership, accelerated development and measurable governance.”

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He added, “The 2027 election will define the future of our dear state.

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“Oyo State must move from potential to prosperity through competent, visionary and people-focused governance.”

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He said his administration, if elected, would prioritise economic transformation, security, infrastructure renewal, quality education, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment and inclusive governance.

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“I offer myself not as a perfect man, but as a prepared leader and a servant committed to delivering results.”

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Addressing party faithful and supporters, Adelabu said his experience in both the public and private sectors had prepared him for leadership.

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“Capacity, competence, character, compassion and courage will form the foundation of my leadership if elected governor,” he said.

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He also unveiled what he termed the “Oyo Rebirth Agenda,” which he described as a roadmap for economic and social transformation in the state.

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“My blueprint focuses on economic revival, job creation, modern security architecture, effective local government administration and social welfare programmes for vulnerable residents,” he added.

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Adelabu said other pillars of the agenda included agricultural revolution, education reform, healthcare transformation, infrastructure and urban development, youth and women empowerment, civil service reforms, and the promotion of culture and tourism.

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“My vision is to build a greater Oyo that is economically vibrant, educationally advanced, agriculturally and industrially competitive, socially secure and inclusive for all,” he said.

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He stressed that the 2027 election should go beyond personalities and political interests.

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“The 2027 election is about the future of our children, jobs for youths, safer communities, better schools, stronger healthcare and inclusive governance,” he added.

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Adelabu described his declaration as the beginning of a broader movement to restore public confidence in governance under the APC platform.

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Party leaders at the event also endorsed his governorship ambition, describing him as a competent and experienced administrator.

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However, in a parallel development, some APC governorship aspirants in the state rejected what they termed as attempts to impose a candidate ahead of the 2027 election.

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The aspirants included former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Adewale Kareem, Musbau Asanike, Akeem Agbaje, Oyedele Alao and Ololade Bakare.

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The resolution was reached after a meeting held in Ibadan on Tuesday.

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The development comes amid the endorsement of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, representing Oyo South, by some APC leaders as the party’s consensus governorship candidate.

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At the endorsement event held on May 1, APC chieftain Ayo Adeseun claimed that President Bola Tinubu backed Alli’s candidacy.

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But the aggrieved aspirants, in a communiqué issued after their meeting, warned against any attempt to impose a candidate on party members.

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“We reaffirm our solemn pledge of loyalty to the APC through good times and trials because true progressives do not abandon their home when storms arise.

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“And let it be known: whoever emerges as our flagbearer for the 2027 governorship election shall receive our full, collective and heartfelt support. But we declare with one voice that such a candidate must not be imposed upon us,” the communiqué read.

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The aspirants described imposition as “a betrayal of democracy.”

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They said, “Imposition is a betrayal of democracy, and we reject it totally, completely and without compromise.”

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While expressing support for consensus arrangements, the group insisted that the process must be transparent and democratic.

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“We are not enemies of consensus. We respect the time-honoured tradition of our party to build unity through agreement. But let consensus never become a cover for exclusion or manipulation,” the communiqué added.

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The aspirants also condemned vote-buying and financial inducement within the party.

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“We condemn in the strongest terms the flaunting of cash and every form of inducement that corrupts the process of selecting our leaders. When money speaks louder than merit, the party bleeds, and the people suffer,” they said.

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They warned that the APC risked repeating the mistakes that led to its defeat in previous elections if fairness and internal democracy were ignored.

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“We have not forgotten the bitter lessons of 2019 and 2023 in this state. We lost not because our ideals were weak, but because division, imposition and injustice weakened our ranks,” they said.

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The aspirants further stressed that fairness should extend beyond the governorship race to other elective positions.

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“This call for openness, fairness and justice must not stop at the governorship. It must extend to every position — Senate, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly,” they added.

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They also warned that without internal peace, the APC would struggle to mount a credible challenge in the 2027 governorship election.

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Meanwhile, the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Adeyemo, had on Monday announced that the party would adopt direct primaries to select its governorship candidate.

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The APC governorship primaries are scheduled to hold on May 21, 2026.

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