The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has dismissed claims that Senator Sharafadeen Alli, representing Oyo South Senatorial District, has been selected as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The party described the reports as mere media speculation and urged members of the public to disregard them.
The rumour had suggested that Alli was endorsed during a meeting held at the Lagos residence of President Bola Tinubu.
However, an aide to the Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, Otunba Femi Awogboro, one of the aspirants in the race, clarified that no such meeting took place.
According to the aide, the gathering at the President’s residence was simply a Sallah visit.
Awogboro reportedly maintained that Adelabu remains a strong contender among those seeking the party’s governorship ticket.
Speaking to The Nation, the APC Publicity Secretary in Oyo State, Olawale Sadare, stated that the party had not picked any candidate for the 2027 governorship race.
“I’m not aware of any meeting where someone was said to have been picked as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State,” he said.
Sadare explained that the party’s immediate focus is on its upcoming internal activities.
He said the APC is preparing for its zonal convention in Lagos and the national convention in Abuja.
“When it’s time, the candidate of the party will definitely emerge among the aspirants. We don’t react to media speculations and mere rumour,” he added.
The denial comes amid increasing political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State, where several aspirants are believed to be positioning themselves within the APC.