Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has withdrawn from further legal action over the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Oyo State, calling instead for comprehensive reconciliation within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adelabu, who was one of the prominent aspirants dissatisfied with the outcome of the APC governorship primary, announced the decision on Thursday in a statement issued in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. He said his decision was motivated by the need to protect the unity and future electoral prospects of the party.
The former minister stressed that his decision should not be interpreted as an admission that his grievances were unfounded or that he lacked evidence to challenge the process.
According to Adelabu, he was stepping back after careful reflection and consultations with party leaders, loyalists and supporters across the state’s 33 local government areas and 351 wards.
He maintained that his decision was taken in the interest of peace and party stability, rather than because of a lack of confidence in his position.
The APC governorship primary has generated considerable tension within the Oyo chapter, particularly following the emergence of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Several aspirants and their supporters had alleged irregularities in the process and questioned the circumstances surrounding Alli’s emergence. Some described the outcome as an imposition, creating a major challenge for the APC as it seeks to wrest control of Oyo State from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Adelabu said APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, had himself acknowledged that there were errors, unfairness and injustice associated with aspects of the primary process.
Rather than deepen the disagreement through litigation, Adelabu said he had chosen to give the party leadership an opportunity to address the grievances through reconciliation.
He urged the national leadership of the APC to commence what he described as a comprehensive and genuine reconciliation process, involving all aggrieved aspirants, party leaders, stakeholders and members across Oyo State.
The move comes as the APC attempts to rebuild unity ahead of the 2027 election, where it faces the challenge of defeating the PDP and maintaining a strong opposition presence in the state.
The party’s national leadership has already begun efforts to reconcile the various factions. A reconciliation committee led by former senator Femi Lanlehin has met with aggrieved aspirants and submitted its findings to the national chairman.
Yilwatda has described the disagreements as an internal family matter and expressed confidence that the issues can be resolved through dialogue.
The APC leadership’s reconciliation efforts are particularly important because the party has experienced similar internal divisions in previous election cycles, with disagreements among influential politicians sometimes resulting in defections or weakened campaign structures.
Adelabu’s latest decision could therefore provide an opportunity for the party to prevent another major split before the 2027 polls.
However, his withdrawal from legal action does not mean that he has endorsed the primary outcome.
The former minister was careful to distinguish between accepting the result and choosing not to escalate the dispute. His position suggests that he expects the party leadership to take concrete steps towards addressing the grievances raised by him and other aspirants.
For the APC, the challenge is now to convert Adelabu’s call for reconciliation into a process capable of rebuilding trust.
The party will need to address questions surrounding the primary, accommodate aggrieved members and persuade prominent politicians to work for the party’s eventual candidate.
The stakes are particularly high because Oyo remains politically competitive. The APC is seeking to return to power in the state after losing the governorship to the PDP, and internal divisions could undermine that ambition.
The reconciliation process is therefore not simply about settling personal disagreements among politicians. It could determine whether the APC enters the 2027 election as a united political force or repeats the divisions that have weakened its electoral campaigns in the past.
Adelabu’s decision to step back from litigation has consequently shifted the focus from the courts to the negotiating table.
The former minister has effectively given the APC leadership an opportunity to resolve the crisis internally, while making clear that reconciliation must address the grievances that triggered the dispute in the first place.
With the 2027 election approaching, the outcome of that reconciliation effort could prove decisive for the APC’s attempt to reclaim Oyo State.
For now, Adelabu has chosen party unity over further legal confrontation — but the success of that strategy will depend on whether the APC leadership can deliver the fair, inclusive and comprehensive reconciliation he is demanding.
