Former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress (APC), governorship aspirant in Oyo state, Bayo Adelabu, has said he will not challenge the party’s governorship primary in court, stressing that his ambition to govern the state is not a do-or-die affair.
Adelabu made this known in a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday, saying he reached the decision after consultations with party leaders, loyalists and supporters across the state’s 33 Local Government Areas and 351 wards.
He said his decision was not due to a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction, but was motivated by the need to preserve peace, strengthen party stability and protect the future of the APC in Oyo State.
APC primary controversy
The APC has been embroiled in disagreements over the process that produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli as its candidate for the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, with some aspirants alleging that his emergence was imposed.
Adelabu said he had, however, chosen not to pursue an internal appeal or institute legal proceedings over the primary, describing the move as part of his commitment to the party.
“This decision is not because of a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction. Neither should it be interpreted as an act of surrender or an indication that my aspiration to serve as Governor of Oyo State is a do-or-die affair,” he said.
He said taking the decision was necessary to prevent further divisions within the party and enable members to focus on the 2027 general elections.
National chairman’s acknowledgement
Adelabu said the APC national chairman, during his recent visit to Oyo State, acknowledged “errors, unfairness and injustice” associated with aspects of the governorship primary.
He maintained that while acknowledgement or apology was important, it should be accompanied by corrective measures where opportunities still existed.
“We believe that an acknowledgement or apology, though important, cannot and should not substitute for the necessary correction where the opportunity to address the grievances still exists,” he said.
The former minister said many party members had invested years, personal resources, time and political capital in building the APC but were dissatisfied with the outcome of the nomination process.
He alleged that some members believed their votes and preferences had been disregarded, while candidates were submitted to INEC without publicly declaring the results upon which the nominations were based.
According to Adelabu, the concerns were not restricted to the governorship primary but also extended to senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly nominations.
Concerns over nomination process
Adelabu said the absence of publicly declared and verifiable results had generated concerns about the transparency, credibility and integrity of the APC nomination process.
“We agreed that the absence of publicly declared and verifiable results has understandably generated serious concerns about the transparency, credibility and integrity of the nomination process,” he said.
He further claimed that documentary materials, authenticated collation records and video evidence were available to support concerns over aspects of the primary and its outcomes.
Adelabu urged the APC national leadership to take responsibility for the reconciliation process, stressing that rebuilding confidence and unity in the party could not be left solely to the aspirants.
He said his decision not to seek judicial intervention should be seen as an effort to preserve the APC’s cohesion while allowing room for dialogue and reconciliation ahead of the 2027 elections.
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