There is growing tension within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State following the emergence of a purported list of “consensus” candidates for future elections.
The controversial list, which surfaced over the weekend, allegedly contained names of candidates selected for governorship, deputy governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives positions.
According to the list, the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Sharafadeen Alli, was named as the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
Alli, an Ibadan indigene, previously served as Secretary to the Oyo State Government.
Also listed as deputy governorship candidate is Mr Soji Adedeji, said to be from Ogbomoso and younger brother of the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacchaeus Adedeji.
Newsmen reports that the list further indicated that a member of the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, was penciled down for Oyo South Senatorial District.
It also named Yunus Akintunde to re-contest for the Oyo Central Senatorial seat, while a former Head of Service under ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi, Mrs Hannah Ogunrsan, was listed for Oyo North.
For the House of Representatives, several names were reportedly included, covering constituencies across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Ibarapa, and Oke-Ogun zones.
However, findings revealed that many aspirants who have reportedly invested heavily in their political ambitions expressed dissatisfaction with the list.
Some aggrieved party members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as unsettling, warning that it could deepen divisions within the party.
They insisted that the alleged imposition of candidates, if true, undermines internal democracy and fairness.
Reacting to the development, the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Olawale Sadare, dismissed the list as fake and misleading.
He disclosed that the party had already launched an investigation to uncover those behind its circulation.
“It is fake. As a matter of fact, the leadership of our great party has launched an investigation into the brains behind the circulation of a fresh list of purported Oyo APC candidates as it was obtained on social media a few hours ago,” he said.
Sadare further assured party members that no official list of candidates exists at this stage, stressing that the electioneering process has not yet begun.
“We can assure our teeming members and supporters that the list is not only fake but also deceptive and provocative. As it stands now, we do not harbour any aspirant or candidate list for 2027 because it is not yet time for expression of interest, nomination and party primary,” he added.
NaijaNews/ Tunmise Adesanmi
