Bayo Adelabu, the former Minister of Power and an aspirant for the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket in Oyo State, has abandoned plans to pursue legal action over the party’s primary, calling instead for an urgent and comprehensive reconciliation process ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adelabu said on Thursday that his decision was motivated not by a lack of evidence or conviction, but by a desire to prevent further divisions within the APC and protect its electoral prospects in the state.
In a statement issued in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, he said the decision followed consultations with party leaders as well as representatives of his supporters from the state’s 33 local government areas and 351 wards.
The APC has been divided over the emergence of Sharafadeen Alli, who represents Oyo South senatorial district in the National Assembly, as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election. Some aspirants and their supporters have accused the party leadership of imposing Alli and have questioned the transparency of the primary process.
Adelabu said that, as a committed member of the APC, he had decided against pursuing an internal appeal or commencing court proceedings “at this time”.
“This decision is not because of a lack of evidence, confidence, or conviction,” he said. “Neither should it be interpreted as an act of surrender or an indication that my aspiration to serve as governor of Oyo State is a do-or-die affair.”
He said escalating the dispute through litigation risked deepening divisions within the party.
“Rather, I have chosen, in the interest of peace, party stability and the larger future of the APC in the state, not to further escalate the matter through avenues that may deepen existing divisions and undermine the cohesion of our great party,” he said.
Adelabu pointed to comments by the APC national chairman during a recent visit to Oyo, when the party leadership acknowledged what he described as “errors, unfairness and injustice” in aspects of the primary election.
He argued that an acknowledgement of wrongdoing could not, by itself, resolve the grievances.
“We believe that an acknowledgement or apology, though important, cannot and should not substitute for the necessary correction where the opportunity to address the grievances still exists,” he said.
The former minister said many party members had devoted years, resources and political capital to building the APC, only to feel that their efforts and preferences had been ignored.
He said some members believed candidates had emerged without a transparent declaration of the results of the primaries, while names were subsequently uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electronic portal as the party’s candidates for the 2027 elections.
“Their grievances are genuine and must not be dismissed as merely the product of the influence or persuasion of any particular aspirant,” Adelabu said.
He said the concerns extended beyond the governorship contest to senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly nominations.
“The absence of publicly declared and verifiable results has understandably generated serious concerns about the transparency, credibility and integrity of the nomination process,” he said.
Adelabu also claimed that documentary evidence, authenticated collation records and video footage existed that, in his view, raised questions about elements of the primary process and its outcomes.
He urged the APC’s national leadership to take responsibility for repairing the damage and not leave reconciliation solely to the aspirants.
“The national leadership of our party must therefore appreciate that the responsibility for reconciliation cannot simply be transferred to aspirants,” he said.
“The APC has important work to do to restore confidence, rebuild trust and return cohesion and unity to the party in the state.”
Adelabu called for an immediate reconciliation exercise covering all categories of nominations and involving all affected stakeholders.
He said party members who felt “wounded, betrayed or alienated” needed more than assurances, arguing that concrete steps were required to demonstrate that their loyalty and sacrifices remained valued.
“The implications of the present situation must not be underestimated,” he said. “Electoral victory cannot be secured merely by entering names on an electronic portal or announcing candidates.”
“Elections are won through the trust, enthusiasm, commitment, and active participation of party members and supporters, particularly at the grassroots.”
Despite withdrawing from the legal battle, Adelabu said his ambition to govern Oyo remained rooted in a desire to contribute to the state’s development and prosperity.
He stressed that his political ambition had never been a matter of life and death and said he remained grateful for the opportunity to have served in both the private and public sectors.
“While recent developments may have delayed the realisation of this aspiration, I remain firmly convinced that what may be delayed by human actions cannot be denied by Almighty God,” he said.
“God’s time, indeed, remains the best.”
