Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has withdrawn from the 2027 Oyo State governorship race after failing to secure the All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket.
Adelabu announced his decision in a statement he personally signed on Thursday, titled, ‘APC Nomination Process in Oyo State: Closing the Contest, Not Conceding the Injustice’.
The former minister stressed that his withdrawal should not be interpreted as an acceptance of what he described as the alleged injustice surrounding the party’s governorship primary in the state.
Rather, Adelabu said his decision followed careful consideration and a strategic reassessment of recent developments within the APC and the road ahead.
He disclosed that he had taken a brief vacation outside the country after what he described as an intense and challenging period over the past several months.
According to him, he returned to the state and held consultations with APC leaders and supporters across Oyo, during which they reviewed concerns raised by party members, aspirants and other stakeholders.
He said similar concerns were raised over the party’s senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly nomination processes.
Adelabu said the consultations reinforced concerns about the transparency and credibility of the nomination exercise, particularly due to the absence of publicly available and verifiable results.
“We agreed that the absence of publicly declared and verifiable results has understandably generated serious concerns about the transparency, credibility and integrity of the nomination process.
“We also affirmed that substantial documentary materials, authenticated collation records and video evidence exist which, in our considered view, raise serious questions about aspects of the process and the eventual outcomes,” Adelabu said.
BACKSTORY:
Adebayo Adelabu’s withdrawal comes after he lost the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship ticket for the 2027 Oyo State election. The former Minister of Power had contested the party’s nomination process but later raised concerns over the transparency and credibility of the exercise. Adelabu said documentary evidence, collation records and video materials available to his team raised questions about aspects of the primary and its outcome. Despite withdrawing from the race, he maintained that his decision should not be interpreted as accepting what he described as injustice, while also advocating reconciliation within the party.
