Oyo APC infighting escalates as six gubernatorial hopefuls snub Sharafadeen Alli's bid

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Sharafadeen Alli

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By Adeola Badru

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A fresh crisis has emerged within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after six of the party’s 11 governorship aspirants rejected the emergence of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general election.

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The aggrieved aspirants insisted that the APC has not lawfully produced a governorship candidate, arguing that the process leading to Alli’s emergence failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the party’s internal procedures.

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The dissenting aspirants are Engr. Hakeem Alao, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Dr Ayobami Lam-Adesina, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, Mr Ololade Bakare and Barr. Musibau Asanike.

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They made their position known after meeting with the party’s reconciliation committee, chaired by Senator Olufemi Lanlehin and Professor Taoheed Adedoja, which was constituted to address grievances arising from the governorship selection process.

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Speaking on behalf of the group, Engr. Hakeem Alao maintained that, contrary to claims that the APC has settled on a candidate, the party has yet to complete the legal and procedural requirements necessary to produce a valid flagbearer.

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“We have presented our grievances to the reconciliation committee and made our position clear. As far as we are are concerned, the APC does not have a governorship candidate at this moment because the provisions of the Electoral Act have not been fulfilled.“

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“The committee will carefully consider our submissions. We remain members of the same political family, and we believe the party will eventually produce a candidate.

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“Whoever emerges through a lawful and transparent process will have our support. However, as things stand today, the APC has no governorship candidate in Oyo State,” Alao said.

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The latest development highlights growing divisions within the opposition party ahead of the 2027 governorship election and raises fresh questions over internal consensus and compliance with electoral guidelines.

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A total of 11 aspirants participated in the APC governorship contest. They include Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Dr Adewale Kareem, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Barr. Akeem Agbaje, Engr. Hakeem Alao, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Dr Ayobami Lam-Adesina, Prince Musibau Asanike, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, Mr Ololade Bakare and Senator Sharafadeen Alli.

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Although the APC recently announced Alli as its preferred governorship candidate, the objections raised by six aspirants are expected to intensify internal consultations as the party seeks to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders and present a united front ahead of the 2027 elections.

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