Five governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State have kicked against what they described as imposition, intimidation and manipulation in the party’s ongoing primaries, warning that such actions could jeopardise the APC’s chances in the 2027 governorship election.
The aspirants, operating under the platform of the “APC G5,” made their position known on Sunday during a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Members of the group include former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Musbau Asanike, Akeem Agbaje, Ololade Usman Bakare and Oyedele Hakeem Alao.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Alao alleged that the May 16, 2026 House of Representatives primaries in the state were fraught with irregularities, procedural breaches and actions capable of eroding confidence among party members.
According to him, several party members were allegedly intimidated and disenfranchised during the exercise, while some aspirants were unfairly disqualified without being granted fair hearing or an opportunity to appeal.
The group further claimed that fabricated election results were declared in parts of Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa and Oyo zones, including areas where, according to them, no actual voting took place.
The aspirants noted that the controversies surrounding the primaries had already triggered widespread grievances across the 33 local government areas of the state, warning that the continued imposition of candidates could worsen internal crises within the party.
They cited the outcome of the Oluyole Federal Constituency primary as a clear indication that grassroots party members were resisting attempts to impose candidates on them.
“The APC in Oyo cannot afford to repeat the mistakes that cost us the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections if we hope to reclaim power in 2027,” the group stated.
While reaffirming their loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, the governorship hopefuls appealed to him to intervene and ensure that future primaries are free, fair and credible.
They also called on the APC National Working Committee to review the House of Representatives primaries and address all petitions arising from the exercise, while urging the state leadership to desist from actions capable of deepening divisions within the party.
Also speaking, Olaniyan maintained that the gathering was not aimed at confronting the party leadership but at protecting the APC’s chances of reclaiming Oyo State in 2027.
He stressed that fairness, inclusiveness and adherence to internal democracy remain critical to party unity and electoral success.
