2027 Polls: APC Aspirant Counters Akin Alabi, Dismisses Makinde Factor in Tinubu’s Re-Election
In a strongly worded statement, the media office of Oloye Saheed Oladele, the Baàmẹ̀kọ́ of Ibadanland and a leading aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket in Oyo State, has taken issue with recent remarks made by Hon. Akin Alabi, the third-term-seeking lawmaker representing Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency.
Alabi had suggested that Oyo voters might replicate the 2023 voting pattern—supporting APC at the federal level while backing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the state level—come 2027.
Oladele’s camp described the statement as “ill-timed, divisive, and capable of aggravating existing cracks within the APC.” The media office stressed that the party is still recovering from its losses in the 2023 gubernatorial election and the more recent Ibadan North bye-election, insisting that such comments undermine ongoing reconciliation efforts.
The Baàmẹ̀kọ́’s media team went further to question Alabi’s loyalty to the APC, alleging that the lawmaker could be preparing to defect to the PDP to secure a third term in the House of Representatives. They asserted that his absence would not significantly affect the fortunes of the APC in Oyo State.
On the 2027 general elections, Oloye Oladele maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in Oyo State would not rely on Governor Seyi Makinde’s goodwill. Instead, he urged the President to ensure that the APC fields a “marketable, unifying, and fair-minded gubernatorial candidate” who can appeal to all residents of the state regardless of zone or background. According to him, this strategy would guarantee the party’s strength in both presidential and gubernatorial contests.
Turning his focus on the PDP government in Oyo State, Oladele criticized Governor Makinde’s administration, accusing it of “plunging the state into generational debts and selling off ancestral lands,” a development he argued has eroded the PDP’s popularity among the people.
The media office advised Hon. Akin Alabi to retract his remarks and tender an apology to party members, stressing that his comments were harmful to party unity and morale.
The statement underscored the urgency of unity and strategic leadership as the APC prepares for 2027, warning that only a candidate who can command broad-based acceptance across Oyo’s diverse demographics will secure victory.
The public disagreement between Oladele and Alabi, the office noted, is emblematic of the broader political realignments in Oyo State as stakeholders position themselves ahead of the next election cycle.
In conclusion, Oladele’s media office reiterated that APC’s path to victory lies not in internal bickering but in strategic communication, unity of purpose, and inclusive leadership.
