Governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have raised the alarm over what they described as growing manipulation and attempts to impose a candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene to save the party from another electoral defeat.
In an open letter dated May 13, 2026, and addressed to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the aspirants accused Senator Sarafa Alli and some unnamed aspirants of engaging in political maneuvering capable of undermining the unity and ideology of the APC in Oyo State.
The signatories to the letter alleged that some aspirants were “renting support crowds” and convening meetings with party leaders and stakeholders in a bid to create what they termed a false impression of widespread grassroots support for an “adoption agenda.”
According to the aspirants, such actions mirror the process that led to the emergence of the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election, which they claimed contributed to the party’s loss in the state.
“This is the same pattern through which the party fielded an imposed candidate in 2023, a decision that directly contributed to our loss in Oyo State,” the letter read. “To repeat this mistake in 2027 would be to ignore the painful lessons of the recent past.”
The aspirants appealed to President Tinubu to summon all governorship hopefuls in the state and provide clear directives capable of restoring discipline and unity within the party structure.
They stressed that consensus within the APC should remain a transparent and credible process driven by merit and the collective interest of the party rather than what they described as the influence of “sectional” leaders and political interests.
Warning of dire consequences if alleged imposition persists, the aspirants said the party risks mass apathy, defections and another electoral setback in Oyo State.
“The people are watching, and they are weary of a party that appears divided, self-serving, and disconnected from their aspirations,” the letter stated.
They further cautioned that allowing manipulation and imposition to thrive could damage the party’s moral standing and set a dangerous precedent for future political leadership in the state.
The signatories to the petition include former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan; Adewale Kolapo Kareem; Musbau Asatola Asanike; Akeem Agbaje; Oyedele Hakeem Alao; and Ololade Usman Bakare.
The aspirants urged President Tinubu to ensure a transparent, inclusive and credible consensus process capable of preserving the APC’s integrity and improving its chances of reclaiming Oyo State in 2027.
