Oyo APC aspirants meet over 2027 consensus, pledge unity

Key governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have begun moves to avoid internal divisions ahead of the 2027 elections, holding a high-level meeting to explore a possible consensus candidate.

 

The meeting, hosted on Monday in Lagos by Mrs Florence Ajimobi, wife of the late former governor, Abiola Ajimobi, brought together top party figures and aspirants in what insiders described as a strategic effort to strengthen party cohesion.

 

Among those in attendance were the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Senators Abdulfatai Buhari and Sharafadeen Alli; former deputy governor, Aderemi Olaniyan; and federal lawmaker, Remi Oseni, alongside other stakeholders.

 

Sources said discussions, which lasted over three hours, centred on adopting a unified approach to the 2027 race and preventing the internal crises that have previously weakened the party’s chances.

 

A key resolution from the meeting was the agreement by aspirants to support any candidate endorsed by President Bola Tinubu, while insisting that the selection process must be transparent and inclusive.

 

“The APC in Oyo must present a united front… whoever President Tinubu suggests will have our collective support,” a source at the meeting said, adding that aspirants agreed to engage the President directly rather than rely on intermediaries.

 

The development comes amid growing speculation over a possible consensus around Senator Sharafadeen Alli, following recent high-level consultations involving party leaders and the President.

 

However, the reported arrangement has stirred unease within the state chapter, with some stakeholders distancing themselves from claims of a predetermined candidate.

 

Oyo APC has long battled internal rivalries, a factor widely blamed for its defeat in the 2023 governorship election, where incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party secured re-election.

 

Observers say the latest move, spearheaded by Florence Ajimobi, signals a deliberate attempt to avoid a repeat of past divisions and reposition the party for a stronger outing in 2027.