Former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, has said he will not pursue an internal party appeal or legal action over the party’s 2027 nomination process, despite what he described as serious concerns over transparency and fairness.

Adelabu made this known in a statement issued after a meeting with party leaders, representatives of loyalists and supporters from the 33 local government areas and 351 wards of Oyo State on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

He said the meeting reviewed developments surrounding the conclusion of the APC nomination exercises for the 2027 general elections and the concerns raised by aspirants and party members.

According to him, the actual results of the primaries, including votes allegedly scored by aspirants at ward and local government levels, were not formally and transparently declared before names were entered on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) electronic portal as the party’s candidates.

He said the development affected nominations for the governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.

Adelabu further claimed that documentary materials, authenticated collation records and video evidence were available which, in his view, raised questions about aspects of the primary elections and their outcomes.

Despite the concerns, the former Central Bank of Nigeria deputy governor said he had decided not to pursue an appeal within the party or institute legal proceedings “at this time.”

He stressed that the decision should not be interpreted as surrender or an admission that the process was fair.

“This decision is not because of a lack of evidence, confidence or conviction,” Adelabu said, adding that he chose not to escalate the matter in the interest of peace, party stability and the future of the APC in Oyo State.

The former minister said the APC National Chairman had, during his recent visit to Oyo State, acknowledged errors, unfairness and injustice associated with aspects of the primary election process.

Adelabu, however, maintained that an acknowledgement or apology should not replace corrective action where grievances could still be addressed.

He urged the national leadership of the party to initiate a comprehensive reconciliation process covering all categories of nominations and involving affected stakeholders.

According to him, reconciliation should go beyond persuading aggrieved members to accept the outcome, stressing that the issues that generated the grievances must first be addressed.

He also warned that the grievances should not be viewed solely as the concerns of individual aspirants, noting that thousands of party members who participated in the primaries may feel that their votes, sacrifices and preferences were disregarded.

“The National Leadership of our party must therefore appreciate that the responsibility for reconciliation cannot simply be transferred to aspirants,” he said.

Adelabu argued that electoral victory could not be achieved merely by uploading candidates’ names to an electronic portal, but depended on the trust, enthusiasm and active participation of party members, particularly at the grassroots.

He nevertheless reaffirmed his commitment to the APC, saying he would not leave the party despite the controversy surrounding the nomination process.

“I remain in the APC, and my loyalty to the party and to the administration and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unwavering,” he said.

Adelabu also said his ambition to become governor of Oyo State was not a “do-or-die project,” stressing that his aspiration was motivated by a desire to contribute to the development and prosperity of the state.

He urged his supporters and loyalists to remain peaceful, restrained and civil, while warning against any form of anti-party activity.

“I do not support, encourage or condone any form of anti-party activity by any of my supporters, loyalists, associates or political structures,” he said.

Adelabu concluded by saying that while he was closing the particular contest, he was not conceding what he described as injustice in the nomination process.

“We may be closing this particular contest, but we are not conceding the injustice. We are choosing the path of peace without surrendering the principles of fairness, transparency and democratic justice,” he said.

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has dismissed the Tinubu-led APC administration’s report on the spending of over N27 trillion realized from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, describing it as a litany of lies, inconsistencies and false claims ostensibly to hoodwink Nigerians and divert public attention from the massive looting of the funds under the APC administration.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the APM, Yusuf Abubakar, the party said, ‘For a start, the APM rejects the claim by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele that only N15.8 trillion was realized as subsidy removal saving. Perhaps he forgot that his predecessor in office, Wale Edun told Nigerians in November 2024 that the nation had saved an estimated $20 billion, (N26.9 trillion) from subsidy removal.

“The disparity in these figures further validates allegations of looting and raises serious questions on the overall integrity of the report including its spending claims. The Tinubu administration must come clean on the exact amount currently saved especially given that more savings have been garnered between November 2024 and 2026.”

On the issue of the spending of the fund, the APM and Nigerians are not fooled by APC’s illusory pattern of bandying and muddling up figures with wholesale claims without details, just to confuse the unsuspecting public.

The APM spokesman, “The vague claim that out of the now belied N15.8 trillion, the Federal Government received only N5.4 trillion, while N10.4 trillion was shared among states and local governments across the country remain unsubstantiated.

“Instead of resorting to blanket claim, we demand that the Federal Government should provide a detailed breakdown of the funds shared to each state and local government, the dates of disbursement and the specific purposes for which the money was deployed. The diversionary attempt to shift the question to states and local government does not help the Tinubu administration”, Yusuf stated

Also, he said, ”our party holds as callous, the attempt by the APC to heap the burden of corruption on innocent civil servants and students by claiming that N9.39 trillion out of the total incremental resources from subsidy savings, independent revenue and borrowings during the period went into payment of workers’ wages and students’ loans.

“This comes to us as an attempt by the APC to pitch Nigerians against the innocent civil servants and students who are actually victims of the corruption of the APC. This vague claim is capable of triggering further increase in the cost of living and make life more unbearable for Nigerians.”

According to Yusuf, “The APM also finds the claims by the Federal Government that its reforms have benefited Nigerians even in the face of the excruciating hardship in the country where more than 140 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line with staggering 63% poverty rate, frightening 33.3% unemployment rate and estimated $2.3 trillion infrastructure deficit as the height of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s insensitivity to the plight of the citizens”

The APM however urged Nigerians not to despair but continue to rally with the party and presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde as “we use the 2027 election to end the APC misrule and enthrone a truthful, transparent and trustworthy leadership that will reposition our nation and return her to the path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity.”

The Imole Campaign Council has dismissed speculation that Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing his recent visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a customary courtesy visit following the conclusion of the state’s governorship election.

The council said the meeting between Adeleke and Tinubu was focused on the peace, security and development of Osun State, insisting that the issue of the governor joining the ruling APC did not arise during the visit.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the council said Adeleke’s visit was in keeping with the political tradition associated with off-cycle elections.

“The Imole Campaign Council wishes to state that the visit by Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday is in line with customs and political tradition at the conclusion of off cycle elections in Nigeria,” Salam said.

According to the council, Adeleke, having emerged victorious in an off-cycle election, had a responsibility to show respect and appreciation to the President, particularly given Tinubu’s pre-election statements urging the electoral umpire and security agencies to ensure a free and fair election in Osun State.

The council said the meeting also provided an opportunity for the President and the governor to discuss issues relating to peace, security and the development of Osun State following a closely contested and politically charged election.

The clarification came amid speculation in political circles that Adeleke’s visit to the President could signal a possible move to the ruling party, a development that would have significant implications for the political landscape in Osun ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Imole Campaign Council, however, rejected the speculation, insisting that the governor’s visit had no connection with any plan to join the APC.

The Council expressed appreciation to Tinubu for granting the governor and members of his team an audience, while assuring Adeleke’s supporters of his continued commitment to governing the state, while urging
Its supporters to disregard reports suggesting that the governor’s visit was connected to an impending defection, maintaining that the engagement was undertaken in the interest of peace, stability and the development of Osun State.