The race for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State has taken a contentious turn as divisions deepen within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reported endorsement of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s consensus candidate.

At a high-level leadership summit held in Samonda, Ibadan, prominent APC stakeholders announced their support for Alli, describing the move as a strategic step towards early political alignment ahead of the next general elections. The meeting, attended by party leaders across the state, was convened to deliberate on electoral strategy and chart a unified path forward.

Speaking at the gathering, Senator (Chief) Hamzat Ayo Adeseun disclosed that the endorsement followed extensive consultations among party stakeholders and was reinforced by the position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to Adeseun, the President’s stance carries significant influence as the national leader of the APC.

“Mr President remains the leader of our party, and his opinion on who flies the party’s flag must be given due consideration,” Adeseun said, adding that Alli had already indicated interest in contesting the governorship seat prior to the endorsement.

Also speaking, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, a director at the South West Development Commission, confirmed that he had engaged with the President, whom he claimed supported Alli’s emergence as the party’s preferred candidate. Ibikunle urged other aspirants within the APC to align with the consensus decision in the interest of party unity and electoral success.

In his response, Senator Alli expressed gratitude for the endorsement, pledging to run an inclusive administration if elected. He assured party leaders and members that he would not take their support for granted.

However, the endorsement has been met with stiff resistance from other influential blocs within the party, exposing cracks in the APC’s internal cohesion in Oyo State.

Allies of the late former governor Abiola Ajimobi and supporters of Senator Teslim Folarin have distanced themselves from the development, insisting that they were neither consulted nor aware of any formal process leading to Alli’s endorsement.

Sources within these camps described the exercise as lacking legitimacy, arguing that no credible stakeholders’ meeting was convened with broad representation across the state’s geopolitical zones. They maintained that any decision taken outside such inclusive engagement cannot be binding on the party.

Party insiders went further to dismiss the endorsement as “mere child’s play”, alleging that it does not reflect the collective will of APC members in Oyo State. They emphasised that critical decisions of this magnitude must involve stakeholders from the Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Oyo, Ogbomoso, and Ibadan zones.

The role of some individuals at the event has also drawn criticism. Fatai Ibikunle, who was seen publicly endorsing Alli, has been questioned by some stakeholders, who argue that his actions do not carry sufficient authority to determine the party’s direction.

Additionally, party sources cautioned against linking President Tinubu to what they described as “unauthorised political theatrics”, warning that attempts to attribute endorsements to him without formal backing could mislead party members.

Further concerns were raised over the absence of the Oyo State APC chairman and members of the state executive committee from the process. Critics have labelled the exercise a “kangaroo endorsement”, alleging that it lacked institutional backing and due process.

At the centre of the dispute is the mode of selecting the party’s candidate. Several stakeholders reiterated that the APC’s established position remains the adoption of direct primaries, describing the process as sacrosanct and non-negotiable. They warned that any attempt to impose a candidate through endorsements could trigger internal resistance and jeopardise party unity.

The controversy has also unsettled other aspirants who have already purchased nomination and expression of interest forms. Many are said to be displeased with what they perceive as an attempt to confer undue advantage on a single aspirant ahead of the official primary process. (The Sun)