A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, the APC Unity Frontiers, has cautioned that the party risks losing the 2027 governorship election if Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, is allowed to emerge as its candidate.
The group made the warning in a statement jointly signed on Sunday by its Chairman, Alhaji Akindele Olatubosun, and Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, following APC’s defeat in Saturday’s Ibadan North by-election.
The group attributed the loss to internal wrangling and alleged imposition of candidates by Adelabu.
According to them, the APC candidate in the by-election, Mr. Murphy, was handpicked by the Minister rather than emerging through a transparent process.
“The people of Oyo State don’t want to hear anything from Adelabu due to his stinginess, arrogance, and stubbornness,” the statement read.
“If Murphy had been a neutral candidate and not someone imposed by the Power Minister, the result of the election would have been different.”
The APC Unity Frontiers further called for free, fair, and credible primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that the party could suffer another setback if the issues were not addressed.
They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC national leadership to step in and prevent what they described as the hijack of the party by an individual.
“The party must not allow the repeat of what happened in Ibadan North,” the statement emphasized.
“If Chief Adelabu is imposed as our governorship candidate in 2027, APC will lose again in Oyo State.”
The group insisted that only internal democracy and the embrace of popular candidates could guarantee APC’s victory in future elections.