By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
A group of six governorship aspirants in Oyo State under the All Progressives Congress (APC) has written an open letter to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging his immediate intervention over what they described as an emerging threat to the unity and ideological foundation of the party in the state ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
In the letter dated May 13, 2026, and addressed to the president at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, the aspirants accused Sharafadeen Alli and unnamed others of allegedly engaging in political manipulations aimed at securing the APC governorship ticket through what they termed “artificial endorsements” and staged displays of support.
The aspirants alleged that some contenders had resorted to hiring crowds to create a false impression of widespread grassroots acceptance and organizing meetings with selected party leaders and stakeholders in a bid to force a consensus arrangement that does not reflect the wishes of the wider membership of the party in Oyo State.
According to them, such actions could deepen internal divisions within the party and repeat what they described as the mistakes that led to the APC’s defeat in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
They argued that the process that produced the party’s candidate in 2023 was marked by imposition, which they said alienated many party loyalists and contributed significantly to the loss of the election to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
The signatories urged President Tinubu to summon all governorship aspirants in Oyo APC and issue clear directives to prevent what they called “wrong and reckless political games” capable of weakening the party before the next electoral cycle.
They maintained that a genuine consensus candidate should only emerge through a transparent process sanctioned by the national leadership of the APC, stressing that consensus should not be reduced to what they called the manipulation of sectional interests within the party.
The Merit Newspaper reports that the aspirants warned that if the alleged imposition of a candidate is allowed to continue, the APC risks another defeat in Oyo State in 2027, as many loyal members may become disillusioned, withdraw support, or defect to rival political platforms.
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They further stated that the development could damage the president’s political legacy in the state by creating a precedent where personal ambition overrides party ideology and democratic fairness.
The letter was jointly signed by former deputy governor of Oyo State, H.E. Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan; Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem; Prince Musbau Asatola Asanike; Barrister Akeem Agbaje; Engr. Oyedele Hakeem Alao; and Dr. Ololade Usman Bakare.
The development is expected to intensify political conversations within the Oyo APC as stakeholders continue consultations over who will eventually fly the party’s flag in the 2027 governorship contest, with the race already drawing interest from several high-profile politicians across the state.
