There appears to be fire on the mountain in the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Recent Oyo APC reconciliation 2027 efforts, launched after the governorship primary and internal contests, raise tough questions across the state. Observers wonder if this is a genuine push to heal old wounds or just a cosmetic fix ahead of the Oyo governorship election.
Although some aggrieved aspirants now appear alongside the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, major doubts remain. Has this outreach addressed the deep grievances that built up over several years? Or is the party repeating past mistakes by building a fragile front while an Oyo APC factional crisis simmers beneath the surface?
For a political party that suffered heavy losses in 2019 and 2023 due to internal division, these warning signs deserve immediate attention.
Deep Roots of the Oyo APC Factional Crisis
Oyo APC has a long history of factional disputes, leadership battles, and parallel structures. Controversies over candidate selection and party control continue to weaken its political strength.
These problems trace back far beyond the current executive team. They run deep into the history of the progressive movement in Oyo State, moving from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) through the Action Congress (AC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), up to the 2013 merger that formed the APC.
That merger aimed to bring different political factions under one umbrella ahead of the 2015 elections. However, it also gathered leaders with vastly different ambitions and loyalties. The old rivalries did not disappear simply because the party adopted a new name.
During the ACN era, under the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, internal political camps grew strong. The clash between the “Lamists” (loyal to late Governor Lamidi Adesina) and “SENACO” (loyal to Ajimobi) showed how deeply personality and loyalty had split the progressive camp.
Ajimobi defeated Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in 2011 and secured a second term in 2015, giving the party a period of dominance. Yet beneath those victories lay unresolved questions about inclusion, succession, and political influence.
By 2019, those structural cracks widened. Internal disputes created the “Unity Forum,” whose members directly challenged the party leadership. What followed was a bitter struggle that shattered party unity.
The result was heavy. The APC lost the governorship to Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending eight years of progressive rule. Makinde won a sweeping majority across local government areas, proving how damaging internal division can be to a governing party.
Unlearned Lessons Ahead of the Oyo Governorship Election
Rather than learning from that loss, the party continued to struggle with internal peace. Reconciliation drives led by Ajimobi and other elders stalled, and the deaths of Ajimobi in 2020 and Alao-Akala in 2022 left the party without key peacemakers.
The 2023 elections offered a fresh chance to rebuild, but disputes over the governorship ticket tore the party apart once more. The selection of Teslim Folarin failed to unite the factions. Key leaders defected, and competing interests left the party unable to present a strong front against Makinde.
APC lost again. That defeat should have forced a total review of how the party selects candidates and handles internal dissent. Instead, as the state moves toward 2027, history seems to be repeating itself following controversy over the recent primary and consensus process.
Several aspirants who poured personal resources and networks into the contest left disappointed. Many openly questioned whether the process respected internal democracy. While the nomination of Senator Sharafadeen Alli is now official, the anger from that process has not vanished.
Why Real Oyo APC Reconciliation 2027 Demands More Than Handshakes
This is why current peace efforts must go deeper. Staging photo opportunities with a few prominent figures will not repair a broken foundation.
Aggrieved members are not limited to former governorship aspirants. Across senatorial districts, local government areas, and wards, grassroots members feel sidelined. Foundation members who built the party structure now feel forgotten.
Dismissing these members is dangerous. A politician without a public office may still hold massive influence across grassroots networks, traditional communities, and youth groups. Dismissing them because they lack current office can cost the party vital votes.
Politics relies on numbers and grassroots structures. No individual, no matter how popular, can win a statewide election alone. The Yoruba proverb, “Igi kan o le dagbo se” (one tree cannot make a forest), directly applies to the APC today.
Current signals suggest some leaders view certain members as dispensable. That is a dangerous stance when preparing for a tough contest. A serious campaign must engage leaders who can deliver votes in every ward, win over undecided voters, and mobilise women and young people.
Oyo State politics remains complex. Ibadan holds massive voting weight, but Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo, and Ibarapa are equally critical. Past leaders succeeded by building broad alliances across these zones, not by relying on a single faction.
The Danger of Silent Disengagement
When party leaders fail to accommodate rivals, defeat usually follows. The APC cannot afford an election where some members campaign openly while others quietly withdraw their support.
An aggrieved politician does not need to formally leave the party to cause damage. A foundation member may keep his party card but refuse to campaign. A former aspirant may attend meetings but keep his local machinery inactive. A ward leader may simply step aside on election day.
This silent disengagement is often far more damaging than open defection because it remains hidden until the ballots are counted.
For Senator Sharafadeen Alli and other flagbearers, the work goes beyond holding the ticket. They must launch an active healing process across every level of the party. Victory in 2027 requires convincing disappointed members that they still have a real stake in the party’s future.
President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election ambition adds national importance to this local challenge. The APC cannot expect to deliver a strong presidential vote in Oyo State if its state structure remains fractured. The same grassroots machinery needed for the governorship campaign is essential for the presidential race.
Reconciliation cannot remain a public-relations exercise. It requires genuine dialogue, real concessions, and rebuilt trust.
The party must engage former candidates, foundational members, ex-executives, ward leaders, and grassroots mobilisers. Leaders must also stop confusing critique with disloyalty. A member who raises concerns is not an enemy, and healthy parties grow by managing disagreements, not by ignoring them.
Time is short, but the APC still has the structures, operators, and networks needed to mount a winning campaign. However, those assets only matter if united under an inclusive strategy.
In 2027, the party’s biggest threat may not be its opponents, but its own internal management. Seyi Makinde and his allies will defend their ground, while rival coalitions wait to exploit any APC weakness. Party leaders must face past mistakes now and build a broad political family. Otherwise, today’s minor friction could turn into tomorrow’s election disaster.
Dare Adeniran, publisher of trendscopenews.com.ng, writes via plausible08@gmail.com
