Four governorship aspirants who contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Oyo State have resolved their differences and pledged to support the party’s candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Those who have agreed to work with Alli are former Deputy Governor Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, Ololade Usman Bakare and Musibau Asatola Asanike. Their decision followed a series of reconciliation meetings organised by the APC Governorship Primaries Reconciliation Committee, which was established in July to address complaints arising from the primary and foster unity within the party.
The development was announced on Sunday by the chairman of the reconciliation committee, Olufemi Lanlehin, during a press briefing. Lanlehin said the committee listened to the concerns raised by the aspirants and found that the party had more interests in common than issues dividing its members.
He noted that 11 APC members contested the governorship primary, which eventually produced Alli as the party’s flagbearer. According to him, although some aspirants were dissatisfied with aspects of the process, the party’s broader objective must now take precedence over individual ambitions.
Lanlehin stressed that the APC could not win the 2027 governorship election by relying solely on supporters who backed Alli during the primary.
“No candidate can win a general election by relying only on those who supported him in the primary. A governorship election is won by a united political family,” he said.
He described the reconciliation as evidence of the party’s commitment to collective interest, unity and victory in the 2027 election, adding that the four aspirants had agreed to put their differences aside and work for Alli and the success of the APC.
However, former Minister of Power Bayo Adelabu and another governorship aspirant, Akeem Agbaje, were not present at the reconciliation meeting.