The political climate in Oyo State has once again escalated not through rallies or campaigns, but via a sudden and dramatic effort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to mend its long-fractured unity ahead of the 2027 electoral contest. After enduring years of internal strife, defections, wounded pride, and divided loyalties, the Oyo APC now asserts its readiness for reconciliation. However, the lingering question is: Is this a genuine peace initiative or merely a fragile agreement concealing profound animosity?
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, has confirmed what many deemed impossible: Senator Teslim Folarin, the APC’s candidate for the 2023 governorship, and Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, have finally convened in Ibadan after years of hostility. The once-close political partners had devolved into fierce adversaries following the tumultuous 2023 primaries, which compelled Adelabu to join the Accord Party, where he led a rebellion that ultimately faltered against Governor Seyi Makinde’s PDP machinery.
Their reunion, characterized by some as “historic” and by others as “convenient,” represents the first significant move in the APC’s endeavor to reconstruct itself in preparation for next year’s congresses and the pivotal 2027 elections. Sadare emphasizes that the objective is clear: reclaim Oyo State, restore public confidence, and secure substantial votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Nevertheless, beneath this newly painted facade of unity lies a complex web of political injuries that no handshake can swiftly mend.
The Oyo APC experienced some of its most severe internal divisions in 2023 from the contentious congresses that resulted in Isaac Omodewu being appointed as chairman, to the defection of prominent figures such as Samuel Tegbe. The repercussions weakened the party’s framework and strategy, leaving behind a legacy of resentment that lingered long after the elections.
For numerous members, last Friday’s meeting between Folarin and Adelabu symbolizes a beacon of hope. Yet for others, it merely represents another episode in the APC’s lengthy history of last-minute peace negotiations that ultimately crumble under pressure.
Cracks are beginning to appear once again. Former Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, has distanced himself from the entire reconciliation effort, asserting that he was neither invited nor concerned. However, his underlying message was more pointed: if the 2027 governorship ticket is not allocated to Oke-Ogun, he will not participate.
His position indicates that the contest for 2027 is not solely a matter of individual personalities but also involves geopolitical interests within the party.
Interestingly, the spirit of reconciliation appears to be spreading beyond Oyo. In Ondo State, the Aggrieved Aspirants Forum, once staunch critics of the APC structure, have unexpectedly laid down their arms. Their leader, Taiwo Agunloye, credited their renewed allegiance to “national interest” and the advancements they assert President Tinubu has made in economic and security matters.
Their expression of confidence is timely, strategic, and politically calculated, coinciding with the quiet onset of the 2027 race.
In Oyo, however, the APC confronts a different situation: reconciliation is one aspect; trust is another.
The party may have commenced peace discussions, but unless the issues of betrayal, zoning disputes, and factional control are genuinely resolved, the purported reconciliation may merely be a political illusion, one that dissipates just as the 2027 storm begins to brew.
At present, the APC in Oyo is presenting a united front for the media. Yet, the true challenge lies ahead.
