APC Allegedly Disqualifies Tinubu’s Ex-Minister from Guber Primary

Less than two days to the gubernatorial primary of the Oyo chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party has allegedly disqualified former Minister for Energy, Adebayo Adelabu, who is vying to become the APC flagbearer for the 2027 election.

Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was disqualified by the party’s screening committee in the report allegedly submitted to the party after concluding its exercise.

This came barely four days after supporters of the aspirant protested at the secretariat of the Oyo chapter of the APC, demanding that the party jettison the consensus primary mode in favor of direct primaries to select the party’s governorship candidate.

Meanwhile, the party has allegedly cleared another aspirant and lawmaker, Sharafadeen Alli, who was picked last month as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship poll.

On Monday, the Guild gathered that the former minister’s disqualification was to pave the way for the anointed aspirant for the 2027 poll.

A source from the party disclosed to a correspondent (not Thepapers) that Adelabu has been disqualified, saying the list of disqualified aspirants would be released soon.

He added that the former minister could not meet the standards set by the screening committee, saying this is to avoid litigation that could arise after the election in 2027.

According to him, the former CBN deputy governor could seek redress over the disqualification before the appeal committee before the primary commences in the state.

Another senior party member added that the list of disqualified gubernatorial aspirants may not be released until 48 hours after before the primary, saying all disqualified aspirants have rights to appeal their screening result.

She added that Adelabu could be cleared by the appeal committee if he could argue properly and correct the flows discovered by the screening committee that resulted in the financial expert’s disqualification

It would be recalled that Adelabu resigned as minister last month to pursue his ambition of contesting the Oyo State governorship election in 2027.

His declaration came after the Oyo APC leaders had formally adopted Alli as the party’s consensus governorship candidate ahead of the forthcoming primary election.

Alli’s adoption as consensus candidate was reaffirmed on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.