…demand credible primary
By Adeola Badru
Governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have declared that they will strongly resist any attempt to impose a candidate ahead of the party’s 2027 governorship primary, insisting that due process, fairness and internal democracy must prevail.
The aspirants made their position known yesterday in a communiqué issued at the end of a high-level meeting held in Ibadan.
While affirming that they were not opposed to the adoption of a consensus candidate, they stressed that such an arrangement must emerge through a transparent, credible and democratic process.
The meeting was attended by former Deputy Governor of Oyo State Rauf Olaniyan, Barrister Akeem Agbaje, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, Prince Musibau Asanike and Dr Ololade Usman Bakare.
The aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the APC, pledging continued support for the party at both the state and national levels.
They stated that whoever eventually emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election would receive their collective support, provided the process leading to the emergence of the candidate is free, fair and credible.
The communiqué stated emphatically that the aspirants would not accept the imposition of any candidate under any guise.
According to them, “Imposition is a betrayal of democracy, and we reject it totally, completely and without compromise.”
The aspirants praised President Tinubu for what they described as his courage, foresight and administrative leadership in steering the country through difficult national challenges.
“We rise today to salute the courage, foresight and tireless administrative prowess of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.“
“In the face of daunting national challenges, he has stood firm, guiding this country with steady hands.“
“We pledge our unwavering and unshakeable loyalty to him and his government. We pray Almighty God grants him sound health, strength and wisdom to steer the ship of state even beyond 2027. We stand firmly and proudly on his mandate,“ the communiqué read.
Reaffirming their commitment to the APC, the aspirants said genuine progressives do not abandon their party in difficult times.
They maintained that although consensus remains a respected tradition within the party, it must never become a tool for exclusion, manipulation or injustice.
“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 process must be transparent, free, fair and clean, worthy of a party that claims to stand for the people. Anything less is an insult to the sacrifices of our members who have bled for this party,” they stated.
The aspirants also condemned the use of money and material inducement in influencing the emergence of party candidates, warning that the growing culture of vote-buying and financial inducement threatens the integrity and future of the APC in Oyo State.
“It pains us to see how money and material inducement are sometimes paraded as tools to hijack the will of the people.“
“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. We will not stand by and watch the soul of our party be sold for a price,” the communiqué added.
Reflecting on the party’s previous electoral defeats in the state, the aspirants said the APC lost the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections largely because of internal division, injustice and the imposition of candidates.
“We have not forgotten the bitter lessons of 2019 and 2023 in Oyo State. We lost not because our ideals were weak, but because division, imposition and injustice weakened our ranks.“
“To avoid repeating that agony, we must now allow probity, equity and propriety to guide every decision we make. Our people deserve better than a party that ignores its own pain and repeats its mistakes,” they stated.
The aspirants further argued that fairness and transparency should not be limited to the governorship race alone but must also apply to the selection of candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats.
According to them, allowing fairness to prevail across all levels would help rebuild trust within the party, restore public confidence and position the APC for victory in 2027.
On the need for peace within the party, the aspirants warned that the APC would struggle to mount a credible challenge in 2027 without internal harmony.
“Peace is not weakness; it is the foundation upon which victory is built,” they said, pledging to resolve disagreements through internal dialogue rather than public confrontation capable of damaging the party’s image.
They also called on the state and national leadership of the APC to embark on a genuine reconciliation process aimed at healing divisions and reintegrating aggrieved members from the ward and local government levels before the primaries.
“Healing must be deliberate, not rhetorical. Every disenchanted member who still believes in progressive ideals must feel seen, heard and reintegrated before the primaries,” the communiqué stated.
The aspirants urged party leaders, supporters and officials to exercise restraint in their utterances and conduct, warning against media wars, personal attacks and factional politics.
“A house that fights itself in public cannot convince voters to trust it with power,” they declared, adding that the party’s focus should instead be on addressing issues affecting the people.
They further stressed the importance of grassroots mobilisation, noting that the APC’s chances in the 2027 governorship election would depend heavily on its ability to reconnect with ordinary voters across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa.
The aspirants pledged to prioritise ward-level mobilisation, listening tours and issue-based campaigns over elite political bargaining.
“A party that is alive at the grassroots does not need to fear the outcome of a free contest, especially if the right candidate with broad public acceptance is fielded on merit rather than imposed through the influence of wealth and inducement.“
“This did not work in the past, and it will not work tomorrow in Oyo State. We do not want to forfeit 2027,” they warned.
The communiqué, however, called for credible internal democracy, insisting that only a transparent and acceptable consensus arrangement or primary election can unite the party after the contest.
“When members believe the process was fair, they rally behind the winner. When they suspect manipulation, they withdraw. APC in Oyo State must choose credibility over convenience if it hopes to return to the Agodi Government House,” the aspirants stated.
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