An aide to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Otunba Femi Awogboro, has dismissed reports claiming that the Senator representing Oyo South, Sharafadeen Alli, has been adopted by party leaders as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections in Oyo State.
Awogboro maintained that Adelabu, a leading governorship aspirant, remains the strongest and most qualified among those seeking the party’s ticket.
In a statement, he faulted claims that Alli’s emergence as consensus candidate was decided during a meeting at the Lagos residence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, the gathering in question was merely a Sallah visit to the President, adding that Adelabu would have attended but for his trip for the Lesser Hajj.
He stressed that President Tinubu would only support a loyal, credible, and widely acceptable aspirant capable of challenging any candidate endorsed by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, in the 2027 election.
Awogboro further argued that any meeting to determine a consensus candidate would not have taken place without Adelabu’s presence, alongside key party stakeholders such as former Osun State governor, Bisi Akande, and former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, among others.
He added that there was no record of the President making any pronouncement at the purported meeting, noting that such a high-level decision would also require the presence of prominent APC leaders in Oyo State.
Awogboro urged party members and supporters of Adelabu to remain calm and continue to support the minister, describing his 2027 ambition as divinely guided.
He concluded that based on Adelabu’s track record and experience, he remains the most suitable candidate to govern Oyo State in 2027.
