Ololade Usman Bakare, Oyo State governorship aspirant and four others; Engr Rauf Olaniyan, Engr Hakeem Alao, Barr Akeem Agbaje and Prince Musbau Asatola Asanike jointly condemned Oyo APC gubernatorial primaries conducted recently by the party to produce standard-bearer ahead of the 2027 general election.
The five governorship aspirants made their position known through a communique issued at the press conference held in Ibadan.
The aspirants said that the exercise fell short of the democratic standards expected of great party. They said the the conduct of the primary has undermined confidence in the selection process stressing that party members who came out in good faith were left disillusioned by the manner in which the exercise was conducted.
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The Oyo APC gubernatorial aspirants called on President Tinubu to intervene in order to safeguard the repeat of what happened in 2023 where the party lost gallantly to the ruling party in the state.
They submitted that the exercise was full of irregularities, intimidation, coercion, and manipulation.
Below is the full statement issued by the G-5 Oyo APC gubernatorial aspirants;
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE FIVE OYO STATE APC GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS
Date: May 20, 2026
1. Condemnation of the Primaries:
We, the undersigned governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, hereby condemn the governorship primaries conducted on Thursday, May 20, 2026. The exercise fell short of the democratic standards expected of our great party and has undermined confidence in the selection process. Party members who came out in good faith were left disillusioned by the manner in which the exercise was conducted. If left unaddressed, this outcome threatens the cohesion and credibility of the APC in Oyo State ahead of 2027:
2. Commendation of President Bola Tinubu
We commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his purposeful governance and unwavering commitment to strengthening internal democracy within the APC. His leadership continues to inspire party members nationwide, and we trust in his dedication to fairness and justice. It is precisely because of your track record of listening to party stakeholders and acting decisively that we bring these concerns to you. We believe your intervention will reassure the rank and file that their voices still matter.
3. Irregularities and Discrediting of the Exercise.
The primaries were characterized by widespread irregularities that have effectively discredited the entire exercise. Most members did not have party registration cards. From accreditation lapses to inconsistent voting procedures, the process lacked the credibility required to produce a candidate acceptable to the majority of party members. Reports from delegates across the 33 local government areas point to a pattern of disregard for laid-down procedures. Some names of aspirants that were duly cleared were not in the result sheets made available in some local government center. Such a flawed process cannot yield a legitimate outcome that unites the party.
4. Intimidation, Coercion, and Manipulation:
We noted multiple instances of intimidation, coercion, and manipulation of delegates and party members during the exercise. Some delegates reported being prevented from accessing voting venues, while others were subjected to undue pressure to alter their preferences. Reports of voting by non party members as well as hoodlums and thugs brought in to vote. The voting methods varied, sone were queuing behind poster/picture of aspirants while in places it was purely by affirmations. Such conduct violates the principles of free and fair participation and erodes trust in the party’s internal democratic mechanisms. If these practices are allowed to stand, they will set a dangerous precedent for future party elections.
5. Failure to Provide Guidelines
We decry the situation where officials of the State Independent National Electoral Commission did not spell out clear guidelines for the exercise prior to its commencement. The absence of defined rules created ambiguity and left room for arbitrary decisions that favored certain interests over others. Party agents and aspirants were kept in the dark on critical matters such as accreditation modalities and collation procedures. Transparency demands that rules be known to all participants before the process begins.
6. Confusion and Logistical Failures
Confusion colored the entire exercise from start to finish. This was compounded by significant logistical failures, including late arrival of materials, inadequate polling locations, and poor coordination, all of which marred the conduct of the primaries. Many delegates waited for hours without clarity on when or where voting would take place. These avoidable failures gave the impression of deliberate disorganization and further eroded confidence in the process.
7. Best Option;
We still reiterate our consistence on concensus primaries for the election of governorship candidate in Oyo State. We need not be pretentious about the immense benefits of this democratic arrangement. It is the best alternative on this condition the APC finds itself and the only dependable resolve that can produce generally acceptable candidate for the 2027 contest if our party has the intentionality to win the governorship seat. The time to act is now and we are not saying this for personal protection nor for a threat. We own the party together, we build it together and we must salvage it together.
8. Call for Presidential Intervention:
In light of these developments, we call on President Bola Tinubu to intervene swiftly before the party experiences a repeat of what happened to us in Oyo State in 2023. Timely intervention is necessary to restore order, preserve party unity, and safeguard our chances in the general elections. We trust that your leadership can provide the corrective measures needed to return the process to a path of fairness. The stakes for the party in Oyo State are too high for these issues to be ignored.
9. Commitment to Calm and Resolution:
We affirm that we shall remain calm and law-abiding as committed partymen. However, our calmness is matched by a firm resolve to pursue justice until the right process is followed and the will of party members is respected. We believe in resolving disputes within the party through due process and dialogue. Our loyalty to the APC remains unshaken, and we are ready to work with the national leadership to achieve a credible resolution.
Siigned:
1. H.E. ENGR. RAUF ADEREMI OLANIYAN
2. DR. OLOLADE USMAN BAKARE
3. BARRISTER AKEEM AGBAJE
4. ENGR. HAKEEM OYEDELE ALAO
5. PRINCE MUSBAU ASATOLA ASANIKE
The Five Oyo State APC Governorship Aspirants.
