A group of All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants who contested for the party’s House of Representatives tickets in Oyo State has urged the national leadership to review the recently concluded candidate-selection process, claiming it fell short of the transparent and competitive primaries they anticipated.
Operating under the banner of the Coalition of Concerned APC House of Representatives Aspirants in Oyo State, the group issued a communique titled “On the Conduct of the Party Candidate Selection Process and the Imperative of Genuine Reconciliation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.” The document is framed around the themes of loyalty, justice, inclusion and unity.
The coalition said its collective stance followed extensive consultations with aspirants, their supporters and other stakeholders. Members stressed that their intervention stems from a deep commitment to the APC, respect for the party’s constitution and democratic norms, and a desire to see the party enter the 2027 general elections as a cohesive force.
At the heart of their grievance is the method used to select APC House of Representatives candidates across federal constituencies in Oyo State. The aspirants said they entered the process expecting credible primaries conducted in line with party guidelines. Instead, they alleged, names were simply chosen and presented via a “unity list,” denying aspirants and party members the chance to fully exercise their democratic rights.
While acknowledging the leadership’s duty to foster consensus, the coalition insisted that genuine unity cannot be achieved through exclusion. Any consensus arrangement, they argued, must rest on broad consultation, mutual consent, fairness and respect for stakeholders who had invested significant resources and built political structures within the party.
The absence of open primaries, the group maintained, prevented aspirants from testing their popularity among members and left many supporters feeling sidelined after months of mobilisation and investment.
The coalition therefore called on the APC national leadership to revisit the process, listen to the concerns of affected aspirants, and put in place a formal reconciliation mechanism to address the fallout from the unity list.
Highlighting their earlier contributions, the aspirants noted that the APC remains the opposition party in Oyo State and that sustaining its presence has required sustained organisation and sacrifice. They listed empowerment schemes, educational support, healthcare interventions, youth and women development programmes, agricultural assistance, community projects and direct aid to vulnerable residents as part of their activities.
They further pointed to personal investments in membership drives, ward-level organisation, voter engagement and relationship-building with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious groups, professional bodies, artisans and farmers. These grassroots networks of coordinators, volunteers and influencers, the coalition argued, form a vital part of the APC’s structure in the state and will be crucial to mobilisation efforts ahead of 2027.
No candidate, they added, can secure victory without the support of other stakeholders within their constituencies. Reconciliation, they insisted, must go beyond photo opportunities and ceremonial meetings to include recognition of aspirants’ contributions and meaningful roles in the party’s campaign and future governance plans.
Despite their criticisms, the coalition was careful to reaffirm loyalty to the APC and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Members rejected any suggestion of rebellion or disloyalty, stating that raising concerns when internal processes appear to undermine unity or electoral prospects is a legitimate responsibility of party members.
“We remain within the APC and are prepared to work for its victory,” the group declared, adding that lasting unity must be built on justice, consultation, mutual respect and genuine reconciliation.
Key demands include:
• An impartial national review of the Oyo candidate-selection process that allows affected aspirants to present their case.
• Transparent engagement and voluntary agreement whenever consensus is pursued.
• Establishment of a high-level reconciliation committee comprising respected national and state leaders acceptable to all sides.
• Formal recognition of the investments and structures of all aspirants, with their integration into the party’s 2027 strategy.
The coalition also appealed to supporters across Oyo State to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding while the matter is handled through party channels.
Nine aspirants signed the communique: Hon. Engr. Tunde Bello (“ETB”), Hon. Engr. Sanusi Ridwan (“STRIKAH”), Hon. Ibrahim Lasisi (OJASOPE), Hon. Saheed Oladele, Hon. Bakare Nurudeen, Hon. Ganiyat Olawore Omookurun, Hon. Idowu Adesokan, Hon. Ishaq Morufat Ajibola and Hon. Nureni Adesina Abd Salam.
In closing, the group argued that the APC has a genuine opportunity to improve its fortunes in Oyo State in 2027, but only if it prioritises fairness, inclusion and the mobilisation of all genuine stakeholders. The party’s strength, they said, should be measured not merely by the names that appear on the ballot but by the collective contributions of aspirants, executives, ward leaders, volunteers and supporters.
The communique places the Oyo controversy within the wider national conversation about internal democracy, consensus politics and reconciliation inside the APC as the party prepares for the next general elections.