Oyo APC Ticket: Ignore Fake Candidate Lists, Shun Defection, Adelabu Urges Supporters

By Seyifunmi Odunuga 

IBADAN — Following the controversies and anxieties trailing the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Oyo State, frontline gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has appealed to aggrieved party members to shelve any plans of defecting to opposition political parties.

Adelabu, who described the mounting tension within the state chapter as premature, charged his supporters and party faithful to remain calm, law-abiding, and await the official pronouncement of the party’s National Working Committee in Abuja regarding the gubernatorial, senatorial, and legislative tickets.

In a press statement issued to newsmen, the APC chieftain expressed deep concern over the circulation of unverified lists of successful candidates and rumours of secret endorsements by certain vested interests. He cautioned that no state-level committee, group, or individual possesses the constitutional authority to announce the final outcome of the primary elections.

He declared that any purported list of candidates being circulated on social media or through unofficial channels must be treated with utmost caution, warning party members not to be misled by propaganda or premature victory claims designed to manipulate public perception and influence ongoing consultations.

Addressing reports of an imminent mass exodus by members protesting alleged consensus arrangements, Adelabu vehemently condemned the move. He warned that abandoning the APC at this critical hour would only weaken the party's collective structure and hand an easy advantage to political opponents. He reminded loyalists of the immense time, energy, and resources they have invested in building the progressive platform, noting that walking away over unofficial speculations would be a tragic miscalculation.

Drawing on the painful political lessons of the 2019 and 2023 general elections, the gubernatorial hopeful stressed that internal divisions, mistrust, and avoidable defections have historically undermined the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo State. He cautioned stakeholders against repeating past mistakes that could jeopardize the party's chances in the forthcoming state and federal elections.

Adelabu expressed absolute confidence in the wisdom and institutional capacity of the APC National Leadership to review the primary process, address all grievances, and ensure justice and party cohesion. He noted that exercising patience at this critical juncture is a clear demonstration of political maturity and loyalty to the party's larger interests, rather than a sign of weakness.

While cautioning those peddling rumours of predetermined consensus arrangements to desist from heating up the polity, Adelabu reiterated that the true strength of the APC lies in its commitment to internal democracy, credibility, and due process.

He further urged party leaders, youth groups, women organizations, and support bases to exercise restraint in their utterances and prioritize the unity of the party above individual ambitions, stressing that the ultimate goal remains returning the APC to the Agodi Government House.

Elections will come and go, Adelabu noted, but the party must remain the common platform for service and progressive governance. He assured his supporters that every legitimate concern raised regarding the primaries will receive the necessary attention through the appropriate party structures.