The political landscape in Oyo State has been thrown into turmoil following the rejection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary by five prominent aspirants. The aspirants, who have since formed a united front dubbed the “G5,” have declared the exercise, held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, as deeply flawed and are now appealing directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
In a strongly worded joint communiqué issued late Thursday night after an emergency meeting, the five aspirants alleged that the primary was marred by “widespread irregularities and procedural lapses” that fundamentally discredited the process across the state’s 33 local government areas.
“We condemn the governorship primaries conducted on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The exercise fell short of the democratic standards expected of our great party and has undermined confidence in the selection process,” the communiqué read.
The signatories to the communiqué represent a significant cross-section of political experience and grassroots support within the Oyo APC. They are:
Engineer Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan
(Former Deputy Governor of Oyo State)
Dr. Ololade Usman Bakare (A prominent medical doctor and political strategist)
Barrister Akeem Agbaje (A respected legal practitioner and former party stalwart)
Engineer Hakeem Oyedele Alao (A technocrat with strong ties to the business community)
Prince Musbau Asatola Asanike (A grassroots mobilizer with deep roots in Oyo’s traditional political structure)
The aspirants painted a picture of a chaotic and manipulated process, listing a series of infractions that they said made a mockery of internal democracy.
The G5 cited widespread accreditation lapses, with many duly accredited delegates unable to vote. In several local government areas, the names of cleared aspirants were reportedly omitted from official result sheets.
The communiqué alleged that party members were subjected to intimidation, coercion, and outright manipulation. Some delegates were prevented from accessing voting venues, while others were pressured to change their preferences under duress.
The aspirants further claimed that non-party members, hoodlums, and thugs were brought into voting locations to swell the ranks of a particular candidate. “In some locations, the process was hijacked by individuals who had no business participating in an APC primary,” the statement alleged.
Adding to the confusion, the primary was conducted using a mix of methods, including the queue-behind-poster system and simple affirmation. The group described this inconsistency as a violation of the fundamental principles of free and fair participation, eroding trust in the party’s internal democracy.
The aspirants decried “significant logistical failures,” including the late arrival of voting materials, inadequate polling center locations, and poor overall coordination. Many delegates reportedly waited for hours without clarity on when or how voting would take place.
The G5 reiterated their earlier position that a consensus primary was the most viable path forward for the Oyo APC, given the party’s fragile unity. They argued that a forced, contentious primary would only deepen existing fractures.
“We still reiterate our consistence on consensus primaries for the election of the governorship candidate in Oyo State. It is the best alternative in the condition the APC finds itself and the only dependable resolve that can produce a generally acceptable candidate if our party has the intentionality to win the governorship seat,” the communiqué stated.
In their most significant move, the aspirants appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in. They invoked the memory of the 2023 general elections, where internal disputes and a lack of consensus are widely believed to have cost the APC victory in Oyo State.
“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,” the aspirants said.
The G5 expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to listen to stakeholders and act decisively to restore fairness, noting his track record of mediating internal party disputes.
Despite their grievances, the aspirants made a point of affirming their unwavering loyalty to the APC. They pledged to remain calm and law-abiding while pursuing justice through due process and dialogue.
“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. Our loyalty to the APC remains unshaken,” they said.
However, they warned that if the issues are left unaddressed, they could threaten the cohesion and credibility of the APC in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general elections, potentially handing an advantage to rival parties.
As of press time, the state leadership of the APC in Oyo, as well as the National Working Committee (NWC), has yet to officially respond to the allegations. The party’s primary election committee, which oversaw the process, has also remained silent.