Oyo 2027: Alli woos aggrieved APC rivals after 11-man primary

The Oyo State APC governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has begun reconciling aspirants aggrieved by the outcome of the party’s recent primary election.

Alli said he had begun meeting dissatisfied aspirants and party members following the APC primary contested by 11 governorship hopefuls.

The Oyo South senator disclosed that he met a member of the aggrieved G6 group on Monday as part of efforts to reunite the party ahead of the 2027 election.

He spoke during a media briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Ibadan.

Alli said disagreements were inevitable after a fiercely contested primary in which only one candidate could emerge from a field of qualified aspirants.

“It is not out of place to see aggrieved aspirants in a strong political party like the APC, which paraded an array of well-qualified and competent individuals who had shown interest in contesting for the party’s ticket,” he said.

The governorship candidate disclosed that the party had constituted a committee to reconcile the aggrieved aspirants and other members unhappy with the primary’s outcome.

“In a party that has 11 aspirants, it is expected. When 11 people are aspiring and there is only one state, the party has to pick someone. All of us are qualified for the position. APC has the best aspirants,” he said.

Alli insisted that his emergence as the party’s flagbearer had been formalised, adding that the APC had uploaded his information.

“I want to assure you all that grievances from the fallout of the governorship primary election of the party in the state will soon be resolved. I have been meeting people. I even met one of the G6 members today,” he added.

The briefing was attended by his running mate, Adesoji Adedeji; Oyo APC Chairman Moses Adeyemo; and other party leaders.

Alli said the reconciliation drive was necessary to bring all factions together and strengthen the APC’s campaign to reclaim Oyo State in 2027.