Former Minister of Power and governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Bayo Adelabu, has raised alarm over alleged irregularities that reportedly marred the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election conducted in the state.
Adelabu made the allegations while speaking with journalists on Thursday shortly after the exercise, describing the process as deeply troubling and filled with actions that cast “dark shadows” over the credibility of the primary election.
The former minister claimed that reports gathered from party agents, supporters and loyalists across several local government areas suggested that the election process was compromised in multiple wards throughout the state.
According to him, some voting exercises allegedly took place before the officially scheduled time, preventing many accredited party members from participating in the process.
“In some wards, they conducted election hours before the appointed time. Before our people started getting there, they had already conducted the election and wrote figures they liked,” Adelabu said.
He further alleged that supporters in certain areas were intimidated, blocked from accessing voting centres and in some cases allegedly chased away during the exercise.
“In some wards, our people were prevented from voting, they were intimidated and violently chased away. In some cases, voting did not even take place, yet figures were still recorded,” he added.
Adelabu described the alleged incidents as unacceptable and inconsistent with democratic principles, insisting that the conduct of the exercise must be investigated thoroughly.
The governorship aspirant also disclosed that his camp would formally challenge the outcome and procedures of the primary election through petitions.
“We are going to write a series of petitions against all the things that took place,” he stated.
The former minister recently resigned from his position as Minister of Power to pursue his governorship ambition under the APC platform in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
His allegations have added to growing tensions surrounding party primaries in different parts of the country, where aspirants and stakeholders have increasingly raised concerns over alleged manipulation, intimidation and irregularities during internal party elections.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC had not officially announced the final results of the Oyo governorship primary election.
The party has also not issued any official response regarding the allegations made by Adelabu.
Political observers say the controversy may trigger further internal disputes within the Oyo APC as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue to intensify.
What you should know
Bayo Adelabu is a former Minister of Power and former governorship candidate in Oyo State.
He resigned from the federal cabinet to pursue the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections. Internal party primaries in Nigeria often generate disputes due to allegations of manipulation, vote suppression and irregular conduct. Adelabu’s complaints add to a growing list of controversies surrounding APC primaries across different states.
Political analysts believe unresolved disputes from party primaries could weaken party unity ahead of the general elections.
The APC leadership is yet to officially respond to the allegations or release the final outcome of the governorship primary election in Oyo State.
