Senator Sharafadeen Alli Defeats Adelabu to Secure Oyo APC Governorship Ticket

Senator Sharafadeen Alli has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Oyo State after a landslide victory in the party’s direct primary election held on Thursday.

The senator representing Oyo South polled 578,143 votes to crush his closest rivals. Senator Fatai Buhari came a distant second with 37,265 votes, while former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, managed only 19,193 votes.

Alli’s dominance was total as he won in 350 out of the state’s 351 wards, losing just one ward to another aspirant. He recorded victories across all five geopolitical zones of Oyo State.

Following his victory, the APC chieftain called for unity among party members. “I advise my fellow aspirants that we should accept the results of this primary election. Whoever emerges, we should support him,” Alli told journalists after casting his vote.

He appealed to party members “to keep calm and work for the success of the party in order to reclaim Agodi Government House in 2027.”

Prominent businessman and Okanlomo Oodua, Dotun Sanusi, described the victory as “a reflection of the confidence reposed in Alli’s leadership and vision for Oyo State.”

The APC Monitoring Committee Chairman for Oyo State, Chief Ayo Afolabi, urged all aspirants to “accept the outcome of the results in good faith” after observing the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

However, the primary was not without controversy. Adelabu alleged widespread irregularities across the state, claiming that elections were conducted before the scheduled time in some wards while voters were intimidated in others.

Despite his complaints, Adelabu acknowledged that the process was peaceful in his own ward. “This is my ancestral home and my natural ward. I am satisfied with what we witnessed here today. The process was peaceful, free and fair without any violence or intimidation,” he said.

The former minister had resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet in April to pursue his third attempt at the governorship, but his bid fell short against Alli’s overwhelming grassroots support.