APC Stalwart Warns Party To Review Oyo North Primary Or Risk Defeat In 2027 Elections

APC stalwart warns party to review Oyo North primary or risk defeat in 2027 elections A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress APC has urged the party’s national leadership to review the conduct and outcome of the Oyo North Senatorial District primary election, warning that failure to address alleged irregularities could cost the party a landslide defeat in the 2027 general elections. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the party chieftain described Oyo North as a strategic senatorial district whose outcome could significantly influence the APC’s performance in the senatorial, governorship and presidential elections in Oyo State. He argued that Oyo remains one of the few states not under APC control and cautioned that internal disputes arising from the primary election could weaken the party’s chances of reclaiming the state in 2027. The APC stalwart alleged that the declaration of Hannah Ogunesan as the party’s candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District did not reflect the actual outcome of the primary election. According to him, another aspirant, Dr. Gbenga Adebola, won in nine of the 13 local government areas that make up the senatorial district but was not declared the winner despite the results recorded at the primary. He called on the party to review the process in the interest of fairness and internal democracy. The party leader warned that proceeding with the current candidate could deepen divisions within the APC and hand opposition parties an opportunity to exploit internal grievances during the 2027 elections. He also alleged that issues surrounding the declared candidate’s public record and past controversies could become major campaign tools for opposition parties, potentially undermining the APC’s anti-corruption message and electoral According to him, ignoring the concerns raised by party members would amount to political self-sabotage and could affect the party’s prospects beyond the senatorial contest. Also speaking at the briefing, Dr. Sani Abubakar, Deputy Coordinator of the New Age Transformative Leadership for Good Governance, urged all political parties to respect the wishes of delegates during primary elections. He stressed that democracy can only thrive when candidates emerge through transparent and credible processes, warning that alleged manipulation of primary election results could discourage political participation and erode public confidence in the electoral process. Abubakar further cautioned against undue influence by political godfathers, arguing that Nigeria’s democracy would remain vulnerable if the preferences of party members were routinely overridden. The warning comes as political parties continue to finalise candidates and reconcile aggrieved members ahead of the 2027 general elections, with internal party cohesion expected to play a key role in determining electoral outcomes across the country. While the APC has yet to publicly respond to the latest demands for a review of the Oyo North primary, party stakeholders are expected to intensify consultations as preparations for the elections continue.